The Murder of Shinichi Kudo
by Aeyra
Summary: Looks like the odds weren't in his favor that night, the night where APTX4869 actually killed him. This one murder led to an even greater mystery, one that can't be solved alone. Who will be the one to bring down the Organization? And what will be lost?
1. Chapter 1

*This is the first of the chapters to receive a 'makeover', A.K.A. I rewrote it to make sure it wasn't the lame crap it was before. However, it still isn't great because I decided to write it at 10:30 at night in bed until 11:00, and that means that there may be some grammatical errors. To people who are just starting to read this, I'm sorry to announce this is the only chapter that has been redone thus far, and the next couple might be... umm... not good. But, the plotline is still there so please read on anyways. I'll be redoing chapter two as well, so stay tuned. In fact, I'll be doing the entire thing up to where I got my beta-reader and maybe even past that. But only at night, so it doesn't affect my usual writing. Please, read on...*

Chapter 1  
Shinichi's POV

"Ran, would you try to stop crying already?" I asked, leaning down, an exasperated look on my face. "It's starting to get more than slightly annoying. All I hear is sobs and sniffles. Brighten up already!"

"Shut up, Shinichi!" Ran's blue irises were outlined with lines of red, nose pink from constant rubbing. How much can this girl cry? "Not everyone sees murders every stinking day of their life! Especially not beheadings!"

"Okay, maybe the method was harsh, but you should cheer up. We went to Tropical Land to have fun, remember?" I smiled at her, hoping she'd follow my lead. I was personally quite disappointed at today's results: what had started out as a great start on the romantic outlook turned horrifying when a murder plagued our roller coaster ride. So much for my dreamed untainted 'fun'.

"I know that you deduction baka," she replied, wiping away her tears. Light from surrounding vendors and the above moon reflected off of her chocolate hair, making her look beautiful. More beautiful than usual. It reminds me of why I asked her to come with me.

My heart did a flip as I imagined just confessing now. Maybe I'd get the smile I'd hoped to see. Then my brain envisioned the more realistic results. Laughter, and after that, endless teasing. I'd save the confession for later.

"Okay, okay," I said, giving up the fight, soothing her by patting her shoulder. She looked up gently at me, giving a slight hint of happiness in the tiny grin.

As I stared back, a black figure caught my attention. Swiveling around to get a better view, I peeked over Ran's head to see the tall, stocky man who had ridden in the roller coaster with us. He surveyed his surroundings, giving off the aura of suspicion and extreme caution. There was a strange bump around his waist, as if there was a small item placed around it.

_That's strange_, I thought, my detective mind whirring. _Where have I seen that shape before? Also, where's that blond man who was with him?_

As quickly as my questions took form, my brain returned answers faster than a calculator could solve math problems. _That_ shape! I realized, heart pounding with furious excitement. _It- it's a gun! It has to be! Only police are allowed to own guns in__Japan__though... He can't be a policeman though, the only other choice is a smuggler or Yakuza! I'll need proof in order to catch him though. That man was probably his partner. This is excellent! I'll have both of them behind bars in no time!_

The man suddenly slipped away into the shadows behind him, and my instincts urged me to follow. This was a case, and there was no way I could resist the pull of stopping crime. It was what I lived for as a detective- and what I lived for after death.

"Ran, I just remembered something I forgot to do!" I told her as my feet started carrying me in the direction of the mysterious person. "Leave without me- I'll catch up to you soon!"

"Wait, Shinichi!" she protested. "Please don't go!"

If only I listened to her, I might have stayed. If I had seen the expression on her face, fearful and full of worry, I might have stopped. If I just waited a second more, perhaps she could have convinced me to tell the police instead of handling what was to happen by myself. Unfortunately, I didn't do any of the above things, which would ultimately lead to my downfall.

Foolishly, naively, I instead approached death without a fear, not knowing my fate had been sealed the moment I entered that unlit, hidden alley. Silently, I pressed to the wall, carefully making sure I wasn't discovered as I inched farther along, tracking the stocky man until he reached an empty space lined with frail bushes and one lone lamppost, revealing a shorter, mustached man in the darkness.

He was short and fat, eyes covered by dark shades, wearing a high-class designer suit, complete with tie and even including a large briefcase which hung in front of him, grasped by his chubby fingers. Sweat was pouring down his face, body almost shaking as he announced, "I brought the money as you told me to. Now where is the video?"

Smiling, the other man snickered, voice laced with a fox-like quality as he answered, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. The money always comes first. You should know that."

As the other person hesitated, his hand moved ever so slightly to his hip, and the reaction proved my suspicions.

"O-of course sir!" replied the chubby man promptly, nervous and frantic with fear. The scene in front of me reminded me of a cat playing with a mouse, toying around until it decides to give the killing blow. "Here it is!"

When he opened it with a clack of metal, I was immediately astounded by the amount of yen I saw. Stack upon stack of 10,000 yen bills, filling the briefcase entirely. _There must be at least 100,000,000 yen in there!_ I mentally calculated. _That makes this blackmail!_

I reached for the disposable camera I'd been using all day. _10 photos left_, I examined. _That's more than enough. Just gotta block the flash and I can pull this off without a hitch..._

Barely a second after I snapped the first picture, I heard the crunching of footsteps behind me. _Crap, I'd forgotten that his comrade might have been-_

"Your detective game is over, meitantei." I caught a glimpse of long blond hair and cold, chilling green eyes as a blur of hard, blunt metal hit me over the head.

"Agh!" I screamed, but the sound was nearly inaudible as I laid still in agony. My skull felt as if it had cracked, pain overshadowing all other worries, warm, sticky blood dripped onto my face, and the salty, unmistakable taste of it entered my mouth.

My instincts screamed for me to flee, but I could not move, immobilized by the shock and sheer pain. I heard laughter from behind me and shoes hitting the ground fast. The man must have run off, and I wished I could follow.

"A-aniki," uttered a gravelly tome, sounding surprised. "What happened?"

"This brat saw everything that just happened. Took a couple of shots too," explained a sinister voice, icy and monotone. A stomp and then the crunch of plastic ensured the camera's destruction.

"Should we kill him?" My heart pounded wildly and adrenaline pulsed through my veins as I processed it. _Come on! Move you idiot! Your life's on the line here, Kudo Shinichi!_ The cocking of a gun reaches my ears, and I prepare for a sickening bang that will signal my end.

"Hold it. You don't have a silencer on you, and those police are still around. This is the perfect opportunity to test out Sherry's new poison."

_Sherry?_ I wondered. _Poison? Oh no, that means-_

"Since her original test subject disappeared, this detective brat'll be our little guinea pig. That girl said it'll leave no traces of poison on the body; let's put her skills to the test, shall we? Open wide," he said with a malicious, teasing tone, lifting up my head.

Taking out a cylindrical tube filled with water, he pulled a black case from his pocket, opening it to show small red and white pills. It must have been the poison. One was slipped into my mouth, and its foul taste seeped into my tongue, and I immediately felt fire.

I leaned forward a little to try to hack it up, but the water was forced in and my mouth held closed. "Can't let you spit it out." Laughter from above me. "Be a good boy and swallow."

I tried to resist, but he was too strong for me in my weakened state. The poison went down.

He let go, allowing me to fall back onto the ground, body already burning. It was as if somebody had increased the temperature of the earth at least 100 degrees, melting me down piece by piece.

"See you later," said the sinister voice. "Meitantei."

The poison seemed to spread, expand, threatening to char me to mere ashes. _No, no, no!_ I thought, mind still reeling. _I- I can't die yet! I'm only seventeen! I have dreams, plans, a girl I love- God help me!_

Apparently not even heaven has the ability to ward off done evil, apparent as I take my last, shaky breaths, eyes closed, unmoving. The pain alleviated as I drifted into eternal slumber. The darkness claimed me as I floated.

30 minutes later...

"I found a dead body!" yelled a police officer, motioning to his comrades. Upon closer inspection, he declared, "It's Kudo Shinichi! He's been murdered!"

*I hope the re-do turned out okay. If you've read the older version and didn't review it, please leave some feedback on whether or not this or the old one was better... If you're new, please review as well. Thank you! ~Aeyra*


	2. Chapter 2

*The second edited chapter, and I personally feel it has been improved at least threefold, seeing how much I stunk at writing the first time through. It's still shorter than a normal chapter, but I was basing it off the little I did, so I guess that's to be expected. Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll take the time to review at the end!*

Chapter 2  
Ran's POV

_Shinichi, where did you go?_ I thought as I sat fidgeting on the couch, feeling the urge to just call him and confirm he was okay. He probably just thought I left without him, and decided to head home by himself. We were on different routes from Tropical Land at least.

_Why am I so worried?_ I fretted silently, as my only company was my drunk father, who, at the moment, was in no condition to listen and even if he did, he wouldn't have cared- instead he'd have probably dismissed it as over worrying, making some lame joke about me getting gray hair or something. After all, Shinichi didn't always come back on time.

But his voice rang in my head, "Leave without me- I'll catch up with you soon!" Such carefree confidence, a smile on his face as he ran off into the shadows. Strange- all I'd seen there was a tall, bulky man dressed in black. Then I remembered the man had ridden the roller coaster with us. Perhaps Shinichi found him a suspicious character as he had so slightly hinted during his deduction.

Could it be that he ran into trouble with that man? My imagination took flight, creating some dozen variations of Shinichi getting seriously injured, Shinichi getting killed; playing the bloody scenes over and over like it was stuck on repeat. Torturing.

_I need- I need to check on Shinichi,_ I thought, fumbling for the telephone_. He- He'll answer me, and then we'll just have a big laugh over this whole fiasco. That's it, that's exactly how it'll go._

I tapped the numbers, numbers I'd long since memorized. I held the speaker quietly in my hands, leaning against the cold, hard glass of the windowpanes, staring out into the night.

_There's a new moon tonight,_ I realized offhandedly, frowning as I recalled its supernatural meaning. It signaled death. _Shinichi, you better pick up the phone, I'm going to kill you if you don't... I swear to god I'm going to strangle you..._

The first ring, a second, followed by the third, all screaming that their master wasn't home. _Come on, Shinichi! How long can you take to pick up a frigging phone? Dammit, just pick it up already! Please!_ I begged inwardly, my heart knowing that he wouldn't answer me.

It almost skipped a beat when I heard his voice, but I was disappointed when I realized my call had been sent to the answering machine. "This is Kudo Shinichi, famous high school detective, at your service. If you have a case for me, please leave your number-"

"Dammit!" I cursed as I slam the phone down. My father looked up at me in surprise, the telltale crimson blush across his face.

"What's wrong, Ran?" he inquired with a quizzical look.

"I'm going to Shinichi's house," I told him in an angry voice that sounded more like a command than a statement.  
As I charged towards the door with fury and fear, the phone rang. Could it be Shinichi? _It better be you, Shinichi,_ I seethed. _Otherwise, I'm going to beat your stupid, arrogant, deduction idiot ass to a pulp..._

"Hello, this is Inspector Megure." So it wasn't not Shinichi. However, the inspector's gravelly tone seemed to carry a sense of forboding, scaring me and sending cold shivers down my spine.

"T-this is Ran," I answered, my voice meek as I spoke into the phone, hearing it quaver as I shook with a sense of fear I had never felt before. "Did you want to talk to my dad, because, if you did, he's kind of drunk at the moment- I bet you can hear him in the background- I'll remind him to call you back later-"

"Well, I'd have preferred to have him tell you this, but it seems I'll have to deliver the bad news. I want to tell you right now that I myself have only just heard it and am on my way to investigate. Please try your hardest to react as calmly as you can." My breath came to a stop. I felt as if I already knew what he about to say, so sure, so afraid, struggling to keep from fidgeting.

"It's about Shinichi, isn't it?" I accused him, no emotion in my voice. There would be only one reason he'd call me at this hour, and

"Kudo-kun, well Kudo-kun..." he hesitated, making my heart flutter in a not-so-romantic way, instead, I could hear the blood pounding, make out each shaky beat as adrenaline raced through my tense body, but I understood my fight was already lost. "He's been found murdered at Tropical Land."

I had already known the answer, but my grip on the phone still went loose, dropping it as the words echoed throughout my thoughts. He's been murdered, called one ghostly whisper, He's dead, cried another. Tears started building up, spilling their heat as they overflowed and ran down my cheeks, like trails of burning fire. But they felt like ice to me, because they announced the cold, chilling truth, uncaring and undeniable.

I wiped away the moisture with my left hand, and my right lay on my mouth, covering it as I whispered, "Shinichi... You stupid baka..."

_How could you?_ I thought, sobs racking through my throat, as I tried bitterly to keep them down. _How could you die on me? I thought you cared about me enough to not leave... Why did you... Why did you...?_

I refused to think the word, knowing the moment I did would be giving up, accepting the truth. And how could I? I could still see his smiling, cheerful face in front of me, his laughter as the soda spilled over us, leaving a sticky sweetness on our clothes and faces. The feeling of his hand in mine as I prepared for the hurtling drop of the roller coaster, saw his blush as I teased him, visions of Shinichi from just hours ago. Healthy, living, happy. Memories that would live with me forever.

"Ran-kun, Ran-kun." The inspector's voice emanated from the dangling phone, still bouncing up and down from my sudden drop. "Ran-kun, are you still there?"

"I-I'm here, Inspector," I murmured, grief staining my ragged voice as I picked up the handset. "It's just- it's just-"

"I know what you mean, Ran-kun," he replied sympathetically, a lighter hint of that same sorrow in his tone. "I can't believe it either. I'm sorry if this sounds preposterous, but I want you to come to the scene as a witness. You were going out with him today, is that correct?"

"Mm-hmm," I confirmed, coughing and tasting only salty moisture. "B- but I'm not sure if I want to come..."

"It's okay, you don't have to. Since you're a minor, it's perfectly okay for us to exclude you from the investigation-"

"No," I protested, my voice sure and steady. "I need to go. I think I might be able to help. Shinichi was my best friend and I need to see the person who killed him behind bars."

"If it's okay with you I guess... But- can you handle it? You'll have to see- you'll have to see-"

"I've seen corpses when I went to murders with my dad and Shinichi alike, Inspector," I informed him, a strange sense of confidence flooding through me. "I can handle it. I'm sure."

"I'm sending a patrol car to you, expect it in a few minutes." He pauses, filling the silence with awkwardness. It had to be hard how to figure out how to say 'goodbye' when you just delivered a message of death. "Bye, Ran-kun. I- I'm sorry I had to tell you." A clack from the other end signaled the call's end.

"So, what happened?" asked my dad, splayed out in his swivel chair, holding a can of beer. "Something 'bout that detective brat?"

"Shinichi's been murdered, dad," I said with an icy, tear-filled glare. "The police are going to pick me up soon so I can see the crime scene."

"Ran..." he replied, looking flustered underneath the blush. "I- I'm not sure what to say-"

"You don't need to say anything. I'll handle it by myself. So please, just let me figure it out..."

He shut up, allowing me a few moments of soliloquy to think. Shinichi, dead in Tropical Land, having never walked out of the park into safety. Shinichi, who had been laughing with me just hours before. Shinichi... The guy I fell in love with, my first and only love, the Romeo in my own play, starring me as Juliet... Shinichi, gone to me forever.

I cried for the next few minutes, his face, preserved in perfect detail, was fresh in my mind, the azure eyes shining, chocolate bangs falling unevenly, yet perfectly, across his forehead, his cocky grin, his signature know-it-all smile. It was like a photo, realistic, but lacking essence. I needed him to feel comfort, his spirit, his everything...

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts, and it was opened to reveal Officer Satou, a woman I'd met in Shinichi's investigations. "Ran-chan," she greeted me, giving me a benign, sad, almost tired smile. "Come with me- I'm your ride to Tropical Land."

"Okay," I replied, taking one last look at my dad, who was staring at me almost guiltily, as I exited the room.

Walking slowly down the steps, Satou-keiji made no attempt at conversation, keeping the quiet in place.  
As we drove down the road, me riding in shotgun, the only sound was the gentle purr of the engine as we sped towards our destination. Shinichi, are you up in heaven? I wondered vacantly, wishing for a response from the shining stars. There was no answer, leaving me watching the skies for something, just something to distract me from the pain.

"Ran-chan, we're here," Satou-keiji informed me as the car came to a standstill. Hesitating, she continued, "You can still turn back you know. No one will blame you if you do."

"I'm staying. If not for the investigation, for Shinichi's sake. He deserves to have his killers caught. If there's any way I can help, I'll be willing to. There's nothing I won't do."

"I believe you, Ran-chan." Her confidence in me boosted my own, giving me the courage to step out of the car and face my fears. I had to accept this. _You are strong enough for this,_ I tried to convince myself. _Do it for Shinichi.__  
_The last part was what fueled my legs and steered me towards the alley which I automatically knew was the scene of the murder, but even that enough wasn't enough to prepare me for what I saw. Had death been so utterly frightening before?

It wasn't that Shinichi looked scary- it was the concept of him lying so still with the dried blood on his face, mouth slightly open as if in a sigh, eyes closed, laying on his chest with his limbs spread out, hands still loosely grasping the crimson-stained grass. He could have been sleeping, his expression so peaceful, his body so relaxed. But the blood, his undeniable stillness, destroyed any chance of that hopeful belief. Shinichi, beyond a doubt, was dead.  
From experience, I knew I was supposed to hang back, refrain from approaching him, but my body moved on its own, knees buckling as I reached him. I heard a protest, and then a 'Let it go', but they were distant. I could only hear the painful ringing in my ears, whisper his name over and over as my tears splashed onto my hands and pants, burning them.

I remembered just a day ago how I'd warned him of the danger of his obsession of becoming a detective, and his light-hearted reply. "Once you start, you can't stop! That's the feeling of being a detective!"

_Was it worth it, Shinichi?_ I challenged silently, squeezing my eyes tightly shut. _Was dying worth the feeling?_

With no answer, I created my resolve. _I will be the one to bring down the murderers who killed you. I will become the detective in your place, Shinichi. It all starts tonight._

_*_It's a lot better now, isn't it? I personally like the line '_Was it worth it, Shinichi? Was dying worth the feeling?' _*laughs* That's the only thing I remember from this whole chapter. Please review!*


	3. Chapter 3

*It's still unbelievably short... Oh well, it's been improved. I need to hurry to a game of minimafia, so excuse this short author's note. Please review at the end!*

Chapter 3  
Shinichi's POV

The first thing I was aware of was the feeling of wind rushing through my hair, rustling my clothes, making me cool and comfortable. Opening my eyes after what felt like eternal sleep, I noticed my feet weren't on the ground. In fact, none of me was on the ground. I was falling.

I instinctively panicked, flailing wildly before recalling my circumstances. The last thing I remembered was pain- lots of it, like burning at the stake. It was followed by the memory of the poison, and the tall blond man who had hit me down before slipping in the deadly capsule. Wait a second- deadly? Doesn't that mean...

_Oh no,_ I thought, realizing the cold truth. _I- I'm dead! Then, where the hell am I? Limbo?_

The sky- or at least what looked like the sky- was half dark midnight blue, starting to give way to hues of golden yellow and pink. It reminded me of a sunrise. I'll never be able to see another one, I mused, no emotion in the thought except maybe bitterness. I'll never see the stars, the sky, rain, the ocean ever again. My parents, my friends, Ran- I cringed, her face appearing in front of me, smiling, the violet eyes twinkling with her happiness, pure and untainted. That caramel hair tracing the outline of her face, then cascading past her shoulders like a waterfall. Her smile, a light-hearted grin, meant for me, one that would make me heart flutter and my face flush. Ran, never again. Lost to me forever...

I hit a soft, cushion-like item I presumed was the ground, and immediately examined my surroundings. The pillow-like surface seemed like clouds; cottony white stretching for what must have been thousands upon thousands of miles in all directions. Nothing else in sight.

Looking down at myself, I was wearing a long-sleeved shirt the color of snow, accompanied by very light gray pants I almost mistook for white. _The color of an angel's robes,_ I thought sarcastically, more than slightly annoyed. _Please don't tell me I have fake wings and a halo as well._

Checking my back and head, to my relief, I discovered the offending items were not presence. I don't know why, but the very thought of having them, even with nobody to see, is embarrassing. The word 'nobody' reminded me of my loneliness.

I once again scanned the horizons, searching for another sign of life- I mean death, I mean- oh screw it, you know what I mean- and was disappointed. What is this place? I wondered. Why am I here?  
As if to answer my questions, the wind began to stir, creating a sound like the scratch of crisp autumn leaves against frozen soil, clouds rising to form a solid mass, still amorphous, and grew darker to the point where they were almost black.

Lightning boomed as a voice rang out, omnipotent as it echoed through my head, completely controlling my attention. _"Kudo Shinichi, we have decided to give you another chance on earth. You were not supposed to die today- however, fate sometimes changes itself in ways we cannot forsee. There were things you were meant to do, important things that required you."_

"What are you talking about?" I screamed over the screech of the wind, which was getting more powerful by the second. "What was I meant to do?"

As if ignoring me, the voice continued, tolling out in its thunderous tones. _"Even we do not have the power to revive you entirely, but your spirit can be restored. However, it needs a living vessel to contain it, a willing person who is willing to share the space of their heart and mind. There is only one person for the job. This person is none other than Mouri Ran."_

"What?" I exclaimed, confused at the sudden offering of life, and the mention of Ran.

"_We will not force you to return, but if you stay here, you will never receive another chance. If you return on the other hand, it'll be without the knowledge you would have been granted had you decided to stay. It will be up to you, through Mouri Ran, to solve the mystery of your murder, and bring down the ones who did it. Once the case has been ended completely, you will promptly leave earth once more, that time for good. Staying here will grant you access to the next world, but will give you no information about it. Will you make a choice?"_

"I would like to return," I answered, confident and loudly, yet hardly able to hear my reply over the wind.

"Then may luck be with you, Kudo Shinichi." With that, I was swept away back into the darkness with the blowing storm.


	4. Chapter 4

*This is part four of the re-dos. Enjoy! Please comment!*

Chapter 4  
Ran's POV

I awoke curled into a ball under my thick winter blanket, eyes sore, body stiff. My memories of last night were vague- blurred visions of a darkened Tropical Land, a police car, and- and Shinichi's body. I remembered it with a twinge of pain; his face was emotionless, as if he had gone to sleep, head blotted with dried blood, bangs stuck together by the crimson liquid, hands just barely grasping the grass in front of him. His azure eagle eyes, that special intense gaze that could pierce through all lies straight to the core of the truth, closed forever, never to be opened again.

But- couldn't it have all been a dream? A horrible nightmare conjured by my overactive imagination? It had to be a dream, I decided, knowing in my heart I was only fooling myself, but holding on tightly to the last bit of hope I had left to cling to. There's no way Shinichi could be dead, right?

I actually smiled a little at the last thought, feeling more confident in my farfetched wish than before. Shinichi had to be alive- he simply had to be. He'd always been part of my life every day, how could he have simply disappeared? Vanished like evaporating water? Ridiculous.

Happier than before, I got out of my warm bed, and shimmied out of my pajamas. Putting on a red turtleneck and dark blue jeans, I looked into the mirror, posing for fun. I noticed bags around my eyes and the red that indicated poor sleep and crying.

I probably just cried during the nightmare, I thought, desperately fighting against my fear that Shinichi was- that Shinichi was- I refused to say it. Who wouldn't cry if they found their best friend murdered? Even if it was a dream...

Combing out the tangled knots that had formed in my hair, it occurred to me that I hadn't showered the previous night. If I had, I would have conditioned. And I showered every day. Why hadn't I last night?

I was probably too tired after hanging out with Shinichi, I presumed, making up excuses for these obvious signs left and right. _That's why, that's why..._ I chanted mentally. _No other explanation..._

I opened my door, revealing my dad watching TV, headlines too loud for me to ignore. The scene was familiar, a dark alley outside Tropical Land. There was tape where a body had lain... _It's not true!_ I screamed silently, feeling as if I was being ripped to pieces. _Not possible!_

"Last night at around 10:30 P.M. the body of high school detective Kudo Shinichi was found here on the grounds of Tropical Land. The police have no leads so far, and anyone with any information are asked to contact the police at..." My ears were ringing, trying to block out the words, that reporter who was saying them so apathetically, so bluntly, showing she obviously didn't care. My best friend was dead, murdered, and I'd never see him again. How could she talk as if it didn't matter?

Letting out a loud sniffle, I went back into my room, hearing the television turning off and my father anxiously following me.

"Ran, are you okay? I know how tough this must be-"

"How could you possibly know?" I screamed at the top of my lungs, letting out all of my stored anger. "Shinichi is dead and he's never, ever coming back! How could you understand? Tell me dad. Please." My voice ended almost like a plead for help, but all he did was stand there awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head, lost for words.

"Well-um-"

A knock from the door captured our attention, and I looked over to see Satou-keiji leaning against the frame, having entered because the door was left unlocked. "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting," she started, trying to judge the situation. "But Inspector Megure would like to see you, Ran-san. It's about the case." She looked uncomfortably to the side and gave a little cough. "But if you don't want to go right now..."

"No, it's fine," I replied, sniffling. "I don't want to stay. It's on the news."

"Ran-chan, it's all you'll be hearing about at our investigation. None of us want you depressed like this. We can always get your testimony as a witness later after you've recovered."

"I might forget important details!" I said, knowing I had to go to Tropical Land. I remembered what I had swore last night. "I will become the detective in your place, Shinichi. My investigation starts tonight." How could I possibly uncover the truth without attending? "Please, Satou-keiji. I want to go."

"Fine. But don't push yourself too far. The grief could have a much longer-term effect if you stress yourself out. Okay?" she informed me.

"That's fine by me," I agreed. I don't think my heart could stand the pain if "I pushed myself too hard".

I followed her down the stairs to the police car, identical to the one I'd rode in last night. Pristine black leather sheets, a gleaming side-view mirror, and an unscratched exterior. "Is this car new?" I asked, looking around to catch what details I hadn't noticed before.

"Barely a week old. I've been out on cases so much with everyone else we needed a new cruiser. Isn't it great? It's top speed goes over 200km/hr, but that's technically illegal. However, I actually had to catch a criminal by driving that fast..."

Satou-keiji kept me entertained with startling robberies and the long hunt afterwards, high-speed chases, keeping me thoroughly distracted from the worse parts of my life. I laughed along with her; forgetting for just a few moments the truth. My now upside-down reality.

At least she knew what to say better than my dad- she didn't say a word about Shinichi once after entering the car. I was sure that as an officer, she's seen deaths more personal to her. That's why she can help.

However, soliloquy can only last so long in the face of despair. We arrived in matter of minutes, and Satou-san led me to where several officers were already present, and they respectfully stepped out of the way as we approached. I cringed as the scene was unveiled, but breathed a sigh of relief as I realized that Shinichi's body- the still, bloody, lifeless corpse- had been removed, leaving white tape and dark champagne splashes on the grass in its stead. Easier on my heavy heart.

The inspector appeared in front of me, giving a rough cough before staring somberly into my eyes. "Ran-kun, before I begin with my questions, is there anything you would like to ask me?"

"Have- have you figured anything out?" I inquired nervously, wondering if this was the right thing to ask. If I'm to take Shinichi's place, I'll need to know what to do. I should know- he and my dad are both- were- (a painful cringe) detectives. I should have learned something.

"We've gotten the autopsy. It's- it's quite strange though. I've never seen anything like it before and-"

"What?" This got my curiosity. The inspector was experienced- he'd been at several murders. What was so different?

"We were unable to find a cause of death," he whispered, voice hollow and disbelieving. "I had them check over and over, but even they had no idea what was wrong. His skull was damaged and bleeding, however the wound was nothing close to fatal. He's just dead. No poison, no anything. Just gone. Gone." His face was pale as a sheet, blanched with shock. He had been pretty close to Shinichi and not only had Shinichi been killed- this was a murder that would make even Holmes himself struggle.

"Is that possible?" I blurted out, unable to stop myself. "He couldn't have just died!"

"I'm afraid so, Ran-kun," he stated gravely, shifting his hat. "We discovered that his death took place about half an hour before discovery, which puts the crime to about when you two left. Do you recall anything suspicious?"

"Well," I mused, blinking away tears as Shinichi's last smile filled my vision. "Well..."

"Don't push yourself!" he warned, assuaging me with a comforting pat on the shoulder. "This kind of thing is hard to deal with. We need you for this, Ran-kun. And whether you tell us today or tomorrow there isn't much difference- we'll learn eventually."

"O-okay," I sniffled, ashamed at my sobs. Why can't I just keep myself together at these crucial moments? I thought, angry as hell at myself. Dammit. You're the only one that can tell them about Shinichi's last moments and you can't do anything but cry. What a useless excuse for a best friend...

"By the way, Ran-kun," said Megure-keibu, turning me towards the scene again. "I'd like you to meet someone who'll be helping us during the investigation. Hattori-kun! Over here a moment please!"

Through clouded, foggy eyes I saw a tall, caramel-skinned teenager saunter over, a baseball cap flipped backwards on his head, logo hidden from my sight, viridian eyes filled with determination. The light in those eyes- they gave me the same, awestruck sensation as when I'd look at Shinichi during a case. Utter, unconquerable confidence, cold, hard, steel- scary and a daunting combination.

"Hattori-kun, Mouri Ran-kun," he introduced us. I gave the boy a small smile, and he returned a sympathetic grin. "Ran-kun, Hattori Heiji-kun. You may have heard his name before. He's a famous high school detective from Osaka."

"Nice 'ta meet 'cha!" he greeted me, a distinct dialect marring his speech. "I just wish it was unda' different circumstances."

"Same here." I offered him my hand and he shook it, irises conveying apology as I stared at him. "So- how goes your investigation?"

"Not very well," he replied honestly, a disappointed expression on his face. "I've been searchin' the place all mornin' and I can't find a single clue. This mystery is downright bizarre. It's like it's been taken right out of a story of some kind."

"Heiji!" A feminine cry emanated from the sidelines, and I turned to see a teenage girl about my age waving frantically at Hattori-kun, her dark brown hair put up into a ponytail with a yellow bow. "Heiji! They won't let me in!"

Hattori-kun cringed, sighing before pulling up his hat and twirling to face her. "Of course not, ahou! This is a crime scene! Only da' people investigatin' can come in!"

The volume surprised me, and I backed away, the noise still ringing in my eardrums. _Ahou..._

_"Baro! Just wait for me, 'kay? I'll be done with this case in no time at all!" A wink from Shinichi, and then he'd finish up the case like lightning, fulfilling his promise._

So many times before. Why couldn't "I'll catch up with you?" be fulfilled too? Why couldn't he keep just that one promise?

Tears, so many tears, dripped from my eyes, welling up and spilling over. My body shook from sobs, and it must have looked quite serious because the girl ran in to give me a handkerchief.

"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly, holding out the small square cloth with a concerned expression on her face.

"Kazuha!" complained Hattori-kun, green eyes annoyed. "Didn't I tell you to stay out?"

"But- but this girl- um-" she stuttered, her tongue tripping.

"I'm Mouri Ran," I explained, wiping away the moisture.

"Ran-chan was crying! Besides, it's not like I'm goin' ta destroy your precious crime scene!" she protested, rolling her eyes as Hattori-kun countered her.

They continued to bicker for the next few minutes, sharp insults not meant to be taken seriously, eventually straying from her intrusion to ridiculous nonsense. I had stopped crying by then, instead curiously interested in the way they talked to each other, and how, how much it reminded me of-

"Are you two dating?" I blurted out, unable to stop myself. It was rude, but I had to know. Watching them- well, I felt like it was a clip of my previous everyday life, familiar as breathing. I already missed my own arguments with Shinichi.

"Eh?" they replied simultaneously, eyes blank, cheeks champagne-red. Hattori-kun was the first to recover.

"Whaddaya talkin' about?" he exclaimed, frantically waving his arms around in random movements, face redder than a ruby. "How could she be my girlfriend?"

"We're just childhood friends!" added Kazuha, thoroughly embarrassed. "He's like my lil' brother!"

"I was mistaken then." I felt my smile widen, and then slip away. It was so obvious, the bond they shared, and yet- both denied this one, definite truth. Sad. Feeling a need to advise them, recalling my own lost dreamt romance, realizing how much he would act like Hattori-kun if we had been attacked with the same romance, how obvious our feelings were to friends and strangers alike, I told them, "Just don't wait till it's too late. You can't do anything about it after that. I- I definitely regret it."

They stared uneasily at me, and then each other, sharp green eyes trying to pierce the other, trying to read behind the jade. They said nothing, instead standing still, absolutely silent. I could sense the tension, the hesitant air, the lingering pressure my words had left, hinting for them to share their feelings. Nothing.

_"Aww! Come on, Ran! You know he's already like your husband!" commented Sonoko, pushing me forwards. "Both of you confess already!"_

Shinichi and I had blushed profusely and looked away from her, ignoring her and continuing our conversation. There had been no way I was going to confess to him two days ago. And now I really wished I did. At least I would have gotten an answer of some sort. Not silence from a cold, frozen corpse.

_Shinichi..._ I think, keeping the sobs from showing. _I wish- I wish I told you..._

_Ran, can you hear me?_ There was no mistaking that voice, that resonating tone, that arrogance smoothly blended in.

I could almost see his sharp, lightning blue irises, that familiar cocky grin as I turned around and exclaimed, "Shinichi?"

*Take the time to leave a review please! Thank you!*


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_Shinichi's POV_

I was a comet down from heaven. Shooting down toward the place where I had been killed. To return to earth, and solve my unjust murder. I could see Ran now, talking to a dark-skinned boy and a teenage girl with pale skin. And then, I collided.

She couldn't feel it; her expression showed nothing that indicated the sudden pain that pierced me, whatever I was now. Searing, fiery pain, as I once again was alive. Half-alive, but I felt it as acutely as the poison that killed me. But then it stopped, and I could see through Ran's eyes.

The scene in front of me was blurry, tears clouded her vision, and I couldn't stand her suffering. I called out to her, hoping she would hear me.

_Ran, can you hear me? _The words echoed around my mind, her mind. Did she hear?

"Shinichi," she whispered my name out loud. I realized that I could see from outside of her too, what she looked like. She looked around from side to side, then her face fell, crestfallen. "Am I hearing things?"

_No, _I answered. _It really is me. I'm inside of you, no one else can hear me. I've fallen back from heaven._

_Shinichi… Shinichi! Are you really back? _ Her mind was excited and frantic, balancing between disbelief and overwhelming joy.

_For a while. _I smiled, wondering if she could feel it. _Until I help you solve my murder. You promised to solve it, didn't you? I thought you'd need my help._

"Ran." The pale-faced girl asked. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she answered. "Just a slightly uncomfortable memory." The dark-skinned boy nodded in sympathy.

_Who are they? _I asked. The boy seemed familiar, had I seen him before?

_He's Hattori Heiji, and she's his friend, Tooyama Kazuha. They were called over from Osaka because Hattori-kun's a famous high school detective like you._

_Like I used to be, _I corrected her. I was surprised at how easily she responded. She had accepted me immediately, I had expected tens, if not hundreds of questions.

_I can hear you. _I felt happiness again. _I can see you too. And of course I have questions for you. But, if you're really inside of me, we'll have plenty of time, right?_

_Of course we will. I'll answer every one of those questions. I'd also like to tell you something that I never had a chance to say to you in life. _I had met her again, and I knew it would impossible to keep from telling her how I felt. Courage to fuel my words fired up and me, and I spoke again. _I'm in love with you, Ran. Even death wasn't able to stop that._

There was no answer, only surprise, and doubt. She didn't know how to respond. _It doesn't matter to me whether you feel the same way or not. I just needed you to know._

_I do, Shinichi! _Her words came out fast and with a certain kind of intense feel to it. _I love you too! That's why I was crying so much! It's because, I thought I'd never be able to see you again…_

_Sshhh… _I calmed her down. _For the moment, I think it's best that you talk to your new friends, they seem to be worrying about you._

_Ah! I didn't even hear them. "_Sorry Kazuha-chan, what were you saying?"

"Do you want to leave right now? You're crying." Ran wiped away the tears with her hand, and refused the offer.

"I feel it's important to stay. I want to solve his murder, because, I'd doubt he'd be able to rest in any kind of peace if he didn't get justice."

_Well said, Ran. You stole the words right out of my mouth._

_Did I? _She sounded pleased. _Of course, I could hear you thinking it as well._

_Cheater, _I said sarcastically.

Silent giggles. It was almost just like it used to be already. Less than five minutes back. How long could it last? I knew I wanted to stay forever, but we didn't have forever.

We had until I solved the case, and there was no way I'd be able to resist trying to solve it. Besides, if I didn't accomplish my goal, what would those intimidating voices up in heaven do? We didn't have enough time. And who knew what kind of problems would erupt between now and the end? 

_Shinichi, could you stop thinking so negatively? We're together for now, so let's focus on that, can we?_

_Sure, as long as you want me to. _There was no way I was going to disappoint her now. I was living on a blessing, and it was probably very short. I heard the clock in my head. _Tick, tock, tick, tock…_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Ran's POV

Shinichi was worried, worried about how little time we had left. _I thought I just told you to stop thinking negatively! It's starting to get a little annoying._

_I'm sorry, _he apologized. _It's just that being some kind of angel and all that really makes you think from a different perspective. I ran out of time, and now I'm given more. It's like a dream, and I don't know when I'll wake up._

I suddenly felt bad about berating him. He had genuine reasons for thinking that way. I wished I could help him…

"Ran-chan!" Kazuha started shaking me. "You've been staring into space for a while now! It was like you were sucked into another world or something!"

"Oh, sorry." I smiled apologetically at here. "Just feeling nostalgic, it helps ease the pain. Would you mind if I went off by myself for a little bit?"

"Oh, that's fine. Heiji'll definitely figure something back by the time you're back! So don't be gone too long!"

I found a desolate spot where I could 'talk' with Shinichi without being noticed. _I have a question for you. Do you know how you were killed?_

_It was that man in black. That tall one with the long blonde hair and ice blue eyes. He hit me from behind first with something like a bat. Then, force-fed me poison._

_Poison? _I blurted out, shocked. _But the autopsy showed no traces of any kind of poison._

_There was something he said. 'We'll use this new poison that the Organization developed. It leaves no traces on the body, they won't even know what killed him.' So it really worked. And they won't believe your word since there's no evidence to back it up. Even though I know the murderer's face and how I was killed, this mystery is going to be harder than I thought to solve._

_We just need to find the guy and make him a suspect, right? Then if the police find that poison on him, he'll be arrested. Isn't it pretty simple._

_No. _His voice was filled with a sort of rage. _He mentioned an Organization. And he looked like a mafia member. If that's true, then they'll sure to cover up all the tracks. We'd need to get the entire organization itself to succeed._

I was filled with disappointment, until I remembered that meant that Shinichi would be able to stay longer. _But, we'll be together all that time right? It means we'll be together, so it's okay, right?_

_That's the only good part. _I felt him smiling, like when I just told him one of Sonoko's silly antics, or a funny joke. _But I'm worried. They'll be dangerous. I was killed because I witnessed blackmail. And the price was at least one hundred million yen. Rich, cold-blooded murderers. I don't want you against them._

I didn't answer that. He wouldn't like my answer at all, so I changed topics. _Shinichi, I'm meeting your parents this afternoon. They're arranging your funeral._

_Mom, dad…_ His thoughts broke off into incomprehensible phrases. Deep sorrow, regret, and fury once again to those who had done this to him, were all I could make out.

_Should I tell them? Where you really are right now? _Maybe that would help them. Comfort them, especially poor Yukiko-san. She had loved Shinichi so much, and he was her only child. His dad was stronger, but I doubt he could handle the death of his son.

_I don't know. I'll tell what to do once I see them, because I don't know right from wrong here._

_Then let me go now, _I offered. _They said they'd be there all day. And I'll just go back and tell Kazuha-chan that I want to leave for today._

_That sounds okay. _His voice called an end to this particular conversation. Dealing with his parents, who would never see him alive again. And he would have to watch. See them break down in tears, torn apart by his death. I wondered what my parents would do. If my dad wasn't drunk of course.

I reentered the crime scene, and told Kazuha-chan I was leaving. "Before you leave, here's my number and the hotel we're staying at for the time being. It'll be useful to stay in touch." She handed me a slip of paper with the address. "We might be here for a while, come and visit if you feel down. I'll try to help cheer you up!" I liked Kazuha-chan. She was really sweet and kind. I bet that we would become great friends soon.

On the taxi ride to the funeral home, Shinichi was still silent, but was having vivid images of his parents breaking down and crying, hurt, and confused. I didn't want to interrupt his thoughts, no matter how bad they made him feel. They were necessary, he needed to deal with this problem.

When I entered the door, I saw the open coffin, and his parents standing next to it. I couldn't see their faces, but Yukiko-san was shaking, and Yusaku-san was hugging her tightly. They were dressed in black, the color for grieving.

"Yukiko-san, Yusaku-san," I called to them. They looked away, and stared at me. Yukiko's lips seemed to say the words 'Ran-chan' but they were too quiet for me to hear.

"Ran-kun," Yusaku-san addressed me. "You're early. We didn't expect you until later."

There were no words. Nothing to say. "Are you okay?"

"No." He shook his head, and I saw tears watering up in his eyes. "I'm not. I lost my son, how could I be okay?"

_Dad…_ Shinichi almost sounded as if he was crying too. His voice was thick, and caught in his throat. _I'm so sorry._

_Would you like me to tell them? _I asked. _It would definitely ease their pain. But you don't have to, not at all if you don't want too._

_I want to, and that's the problem, Ran. I don't think anyone is supposed to know I'm here but you. It's bad enough that you'll be in danger from chasing the knowledge I tell you. I don't want to involve my parents, but I want to tell them not to cry. That I'm still happy, in a way._

"At least he went to a good place." It was the best I could think of. Yusaku-san laid his hand on my shoulder, and patted it gently.

"That much, I'm happy with." A smile was on his face, but tears were starting to roll down his eyes. "Ran-kun," he started. "Just to let you know, the funeral's tomorrow morning. Shinichi didn't really have a favorite time of day."

_Not really, just whenever a crime just happened to occur, _Shinichi agreed. _It feels weird, coming to the funeral home to arrange my funeral._

"Do you need my help for anything?" I offered.

"No." It was Yukiko-san who answered. "We have everything we need. My poor Shin-chan, why did this have to happen…?"

"Ran-kun." Shinichi's dad pulled me away for a second. "You were at the crime scene this morning, right? Did they find any suspects or anything?"

"Nothing, not even the cause of death." I felt so bad about lying. I knew everything that Shinichi had told me, but if I were to say that, I would give him away.

"Okay." He looked disappointed. "Just tell me you find anything, okay?"

I nodded, and left. His words were obviously a good-bye.

_So Shinichi, how do you feel now?_

_Worse, much, much worse. Can I have some more time to myself? I need to think._

Lies, deceit, grief… My lies were hurting people, who would definitely be comforted by the truth. But what to do?


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Shiho's POV

*Author's Note: As I mentioned in my profile, this is the first chapter told by Shiho (Ai Haibara). Please read and review this chapter if you like it!*

A newspaper was slammed on my desk, and I glared at the intruder. "Gin," I addressed him. "What're you doing here?"

"Seems your poison worked, Sherry. Take a look at the headlines." The tall, blonde haired man pointed to a photo of the famous high school detective, Kudo Shinichi. And right above it, an announcement of his death. His murder to be exact.

"It's easy to kill somebody with a poison," I snapped at him. "What would prove it works if is they can't find a cause of death."

"Then, I suggest you turn on the TV, some officials are discussing it right now." He turned on the portable TV lying on my desk, and a reporter was interviewing the official in charge of the case and a dark skinned teenager.

"Inspector Megure," the reporter started. "Have you figured anything out yet? Any suspects or clues?"

"We have nothing," the inspector replied. "Not even a cause of death has been found. There is only one wound on the body, but medical experts say that it could not possibly have killed him. It's a very mysterious case, we've never seen anything like it at all."

The reporter turned to the dark skinned boy, and asked for his opinion. "The famous Hattori Heiji, detective of the west. Have you been able to make anything out of this shocking murder?"

"The last person known to be with him before death is currently stunned with grief. I'm pretty sure she can tell us something once she's better. However, with no cause of death, I believe that it might have been the work of poison. I don't remember when, but I read an article on a type of cell destruction called apotosis, which is programmed cell death. Of course, this is very hard to discover, because all the cells in the victim's body have already died, but it is the only plausible explanation I can think of."

"That kid…" I mumbled, shocked. "How could he possibly know? The APTX 4869 did cause apotosis!"

"Lucky guess." Gin pulled out a cigarette and lit it. His eyes glinted a dangerous icy shade, and he smiled. "It's more exciting this way. The closer he gets to the truth, the chances of him running into an 'accident' will increase dramatically. Imagine the high school detectives of the east and west both dying in unsolvable cases. It would become quite a headline."

"Yes it would," I agreed with him. "But you came here to talk about something else, didn't you? Something of more importance."

"Pretty good," he chuckled. "Your sister has made a deal with the boss."

"Akemi did what?" I had always warned my sister of dealing with anyone of high ranking. It was dangerous, and if you said one wrong word…

"If she can steal one billion yen from the bank, in two weeks time, both you and your sister will be free of this organization. If not, well, it'll look like our snipers will have a new target to shoot at."

I jumped out of my seat, and shook Gin furiously, not thinking of the possible consequences. "No, I can't let that happen! Where is she? I need to go talk to her right now!"

"Akemi?" His evil smile was back on his face again, the smile he usually saved for murder. "I believe she's here already. Looking for you?"

Right on cue, my older sister came into my lab. "Shiho," she panted breathlessly. "I need to tell you something." She then caught sight of Gin, and showed visible recoil. My sister was afraid of him.

"I'll leave now." He walked out of the open door. "Wouldn't want to interrupt your conversation." I could hear laughter from the hallway. That Gin…

As soon as I was sure he was gone, I started screaming furious at Akemi. "How could you? You'll get killed! Even if you do succeed, they'll never let you go, and they'll especially be against letting me go. How many people have you seen walk away free?" Tears were watering up in my eyes, but I didn't want to wipe them away.

"There's always a first, Shiho." She smiled at me. It was hard to believe that my sister was a thief, who had probably killed people along the way. She was just so pure and kind. "You shouldn't worry so much, it's my job as the older sister."

"But I know more about this," I insisted. "Didn't you hear Gin? He's probably planning your death scene right now. And enjoying it. You've got to tell the boss that the deal is off, do you hear me? It's better to stay in the Organization and live then to escape half way and die!"

"No," she answered firmly, pushing me away. Her blue eyes became ice like Gin's, and I was afraid. "I'm trying to get you out of this prison as best as I can without getting you killed. But as for me…"

"What? What?" I didn't want to know her answer, I already knew it in my head. But I had to hear it, or else it wouldn't be true.

"Have you heard that American phrase, 'Give me liberty or give me death'?" she asked calmly, as if this was no big deal.

"You're committing suicide?" My voice got really high now, and she even backed away. "Stop this right now, for me?" My voice started becoming lower, and the tears came back. "Please Akemi, please."

She patted me gently on the shoulder and then hugged me. "That is the one thing I won't do for you. I'm sorry Shiho, but I have to go now."

I watched helplessly as my sister left, walking with the knowledge that she was walking into the arms of death. _Akemi…_ I fell onto my knees, and cried.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Shinichi's POV

*I accidently spelled apoptosis wrong in the last chapter. Sorry!*

The night had passed silently, and no matter how much I wished it wouldn't, the morning came. The morning of my funeral. Seeing my parents cry over my death again, seeing my friends grieve, watching people hurt because I died. I wanted to say the truth so badly, that I was inside of Ran, but, if just one person let out the word at the wrong place, Ran would be in danger, as well as the person who said it. I wasn't going to let anyone get hurt because of me.

The alarm clock sounded, and Ran turned over and slammed the reset button. She yawned, got up, and stretched. _Today's the day, Shinichi. Are you ready?_

_As ready as I'll ever be. Do you have your black dress? _

_Give me a moment to myself to change into it. _I felt her blush a little bit, and I smiled. _Don't peek._

_I won't, promise. _Closing my eyes, or whatever I was seeing through, I relaxed for a couple minutes. I wondered who was coming, maybe my classmates, probably Inspector Megure, and a couple of others. Some of them would be able to get over it in a couple of days, others, maybe not for weeks. But they would be able to get on with their life, go to college, get a job, get married… All of which had been stolen from me. How could I have been so stupid to forget that the stocky man had had a companion? So many ways I could have evaded death; if I hadn't looked that way when the man walked into the alley, if I hadn't suspected him, if I hadn't followed him, if I had heard the footsteps of the man who came from behind me, so many ways.

_Shinichi! I'm finished! _Ran stood in front of the mirror; but black didn't suit her very well. It was too dark, and a little bit too sinister for her. _Really, Shinichi? _

_I'm also a bit blackophobic right now. Who killed me? Two men dressed in black, that's who. _

_There's something I'm really worried about. _Ran's expression was very uncomfortable. _I should be grieving over you, and crying endless tears at the funeral. But, you're still here, so I can't feel upset. And I'm a terrible actress when it comes to sad emotions._

_Could you possibly pretend that I'm not here? _I suggested, after all, it would seem kind of weird how my best friend and supposedly girlfriend wasn't crying when I died.

_No, because if you're quiet, all I can think about is what you're thinking. If you're talking, I have to listen, I can't help it._

_Pretend you're still in a state of shock where you can't accept my death. Just don't smile, that would throw it off. _

_Okay._

My parents came by to pick Ran up in a long black hearse. Ran held a bouquet of white roses to lay by my coffin. My mother's eyes were red and puffy, and my father seemed no better. They didn't greet Ran, I guessed it was too hard for them to speak. They clung to each other, as if that was the only thing that kept them whole. My heard ached, to see my parents in such a pitiful state. When I had last seen them in America, my mother was all smiles, and my dad was full of pranks. There was no trace of their playful selves left.

The funeral home came into sight, we got off the hearse, and we walked into the chamber where my body was. The black coffin was open, and as we walked closer, I saw my face, eyes closed as if I were sleeping, my face clean of blood, and my arms formed an X over my chest. Seeing myself dead, was just so strange. It was me, without me in myself. It sounds confusing, but, it's hard not to feel a little confused when you stare at your corpse.

Ran lay her bouquet of roses next to my coffin, real tears running down her face as she looked at my pale, still face. _You're dead, but you're alive. I guess I don't have to fake cry anymore, Shinichi._

She stared back at the people who had came to grieve. A girl with light tea-brown hair came up to Ran and hugged her. Ran's best friend, Sonoko Suzuki. "Ran, are you okay?" Her eyes had tears in them, and they were also full of worry for her friend. "I'm so sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry," she replied. "No one could have stopped him, except maybe me. If I had stopped him from running into that alleyway, then this would never have happened."

"It's not your fault either, Ran." Sonoko gave her a tighter squeeze. "If there was a mystery to solve, then he wouldn't have let you stop him. You would have only been killed as well."

Ran nodded, and wiped her eyes. She looked around, and I saw some of my other classmates, and surprisingly, Hattori Heiji and Kazuha Tooyama. They came up to her, and Hattori started talking.

"Mouri," he started talking. "Did you see what happened on the interview with Inspector Megure and I yesterday? I think we have a new theory on how Kudo was killed. A poison that causes apoptosis."

"Apoptosis?" Ran tilted her head to one side. _Shinichi, do you know what apoptosis is?_

_I think its programmed cell death. It occurs naturally, it's basically getting old. But it seems like a pretty good theory if it killed all the cells. As for the no trace left part, it would be because it would be normal for all my cells to die._

"Apoptosis is a programmed cell death. In other words, it killed his cells. It wouldn't be like other poisons that kill by latching onto essential tissues and keeping them from performing vital functions." His expression reminded me of my own when I'd announce a seemingly random bit of trivia that was very important. A frown, mixed with confidence.

"Who came up with the theory?" Ran asked.

"I recently read an article about it, so I suggested it at the interview. It was the most probable theory, so that's the supposed cause of death at the moment. However, it would take a lot of money to create the poison, and a lot of trouble to hide it from public knowledge which leaves us with one kind of group. A mafia would be among the few capable of creating such a poison."

"There was something I didn't say earlier," Ran started hesitantly. "I think I know who the primary suspects are. During the rollercoaster murder case, Shinichi had his eyes on these two men in black. And afterwards, when he left me, I caught a glimpse of one of them."

"That helps." Hattori had a thoughtful expression on his face. "Can you describe them?"

"One was a tall long-haired blonde, with blue eyes. The other was slightly shorter, stockier, and had black hair. Both were dressed completely in black."

"I'll go tell Inspector Megure. I hope it wouldn't be considered rude if I left right now." He was looking in the direction of my parents.

"Can I go with you?" Ran pleaded. "I want to tell him myself. And I can't stand another minute in here." The tears running down her face, and the sorrow and desperate need to get out that I could feel, showed she wasn't lying.

"Tell his parents." He looked over at Kazuha. "Are you coming with us?"

"I am." She started to cling to his arm again. "I don't like it here either, it's too sad for me."

Ran explained her want to leave to my parents, and they nodded in acceptance. No words once again.

This was good, within a day, they had figured out a likely cause of death, and narrowed down the types of criminals to a mafia. In other words, an organization.

_Ran, are you better yet? _I questioned her.

_Now that you're talking again. It feels less lonely now. _

This would be the part of the story where the boy kisses the girl to comfort her. But, it was impossible. We were in love, with no method of showing it but words and thoughts.

_I wish it too, Shinichi. _I felt what must have been a mental hug, and I returned it. Dying was so much more than losing your life. It's losing everything that came with it. My nonexistent tears ran down my face…


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Akemi's POV

*I know the robbery actually took place way before Shinichi turned into Conan, but I'm putting it here to make it easier. Otherwise, Shiho's emotions wouldn't make sense, right?*

I silently closed the door behind me. I could still hear my sister crying at what she must consider my betrayal. I leaned against the door, and remembered her words again. _"Didn't you hear Gin? He's planning your death scene!" _He face contorted with dread and fear._ "What? What?" _Now it was just plain anger, and she was crying, screaming the words at me, accusing me. _"Please, for me?" _Her voice was now merely a whisper, pleading. She closed her blue eyes, and tears ran down her face.

I had left my little sister like that. Crying, sobbing, begging… I felt terrible. But it was all for her. If I could steal that money, then she could be free. Shiho deserved to live life to the fullest, not like a bird trapped in a cage, in a room where it could see the sky, with the knowledge that it couldn't fly into the open air. The boss had told me to come back if I changed my mind, or come back if my decision stayed the same. He would tell me where the robbery would take place, and assign me assistants. We would plan how to break in, steal what we needed to, and escape from the police. All would have to be planned perfectly; after all, any kind of failure meant death.

It wasn't long before I reached the boss's room. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door. "Come in." The voice was icy cold and mechanic, frightening, and not very human. The chair in which he sat was turned to the back of the room as usual. Only the highest officials ever saw his face, or even knew his code name. The rest of us just called him 'The Boss'.

"I'm going through with it." I spoke confidently, no weakness in front of the boss. "Tell me where and when, and I'll get started."

"You know that if you fail, your sister will also be punished, right, Akemi?" He was also sadistic, asking questions that were meant to cause pain, instead of answering. And he never referred to anyone as their code name either.

"Yes, I understand that. Which is why I won't fail." I meant it, and I swore on my life that I would not fail. That I would succeed, and save my sister. It was my duty, that my parents had secretly entrusted onto me. They had died here in the Organization, and I wasn't about to let Shiho do the same, whether it was sooner or later. If she was to die, she was to die free.

"I have your assistants." I heard the snapping of fingers, and two men entered the room. "Your job is to rob the Teito bank of one billion yen. It will be an armed robbery, both cash and gold will be acceptable for me. It will take place in one week."

"Have you secured us a getaway car?" I asked carefully.

"This man right here has one." The smaller, stocky man stepped forward. "While he is part of the Black Organization, he works as a chauffeur. He will not be robbing the bank with you, he'll be waiting for you a little bit off. It is your job to escape to where he is waiting."

"My car is a limousine, if you do your job right, no one will suspect the thieves would escape in such a noticeable car. But, if the mission in any way fails, I'm driving right off, no question asked."

"I understand." I looked into his eyes; he was obviously hiding something, but what? There was fear, and maybe a slight feeling of guilt. _Something's off here._

"I will be assisting your robbery," The taller, muscular man spoke. "Boss, if you don't mind, may we leave to discuss and finalize the plans? That way, you won't have to listen to our pointless chatter."

"By all means," the boss answered in a tone that was quite obviously a farewell.

We all left the room, and headed for the department dedicated to robberies and related crimes. I unlocked my office room, and let the others in. "Would you two like some coffee or tea?" I offered.

"Ah yes," the chauffeur answered. "Coffee with milk and sugar please."

"I'll take the tea." The other man was quieter, and had a strange scary presence.

"Give me one moment." I backed out of my office, and went to the coffee machine, where some other members of the Organization were discussing my sister's recent success with the poison.

"Those police are so clueless," one chuckled. "That Sherry's a genius, there isn't even a way to confirm a cause of death with that poison."

"Now that we know it works, we'll be able to use it much more often, and then there will many, many more unsolvable crimes."

"Hey you!" One of them called to me. "Tell your sis congrats from us!"

"No problem." I turned back the machine and prepared the coffee and tea. I chose coffee for myself, it always got me thinking, and I would need all the help that I could get here.

Upon reentering my office, I found them already discussing the plan. "We'll need one 'ordinary citizen' among the two of us." It was the man who was to directly assist me in robbing the bank. "And maybe even the help of Vermouth. You know, in the disguise category?"

"Vermouth?" If there was someone who scared me even more than the boss, it was his favorite, the female actress Sharon Vineyard, code name Vermouth. Master of disguise, she was also a cold-blooded killer, and there was even a rumor going around that she never aged. But, her help would be very useful. "You idea is that we where the disguises, and once the police lose sight of us during the getaway, we remove them and blend in with the crowd, right?"

"Exactly," he sneered. "We just have to figure out how to get away. Should we each take a hostage and threaten to shoot if we're chased, and let them go once we're sure the police aren't hot on our trail, or something different?"

"We'll do the hostage plan." My gears in my brain were starting to shift into place. Thieving was where I was brilliant, a genius. I'd never been caught. But that was hardly something to brag about, nobody here had ever been caught. _Failure means death. _One of the many mottos in this Organization. If you fail suicide, or someone else will take care of that job for you.

"Hand me a blueprint of the bank," I gestured toward the papers they were holding. "I need to start seriously planning."

In three days, we had already devised a nearly foolproof robbery plan. When we turned it into the boss, he approved of it. "You can start at anytime. The exact date planned before is not necessary."

"Then, would we able to go the day after tomorrow?" I asked. "We'll scout the bank tomorrow, and have Vermouth work on disguising us that night."

"I'll tell her." His tone was dismissive once again. As we turned around to leave, he said two more words. "Good luck." But the words had no sincerity in them. They sounded like a death sentence.

Would I leave the robbery alive? It was a question for the future. Either way, I would just have to protect my sister. And hopefully, if I died, I would get a goodbye.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Heiji's POV

I motioned for Mouri to follow me to the police car that had been waiting outside of the funeral home. She was crying; it had been her best friend's funeral after all. Kazuha was trying to comfort her as best as she could, but it wasn't working all that well. I opened up the car door for them, and then I climbed into the front next to the policeman Takagi.

"Mouri remembered something important," I explained. "Bring us to Inspector Megure, please." He nodded, and the car zoomed off.

I looked back, concerned about Mouri's state. Surprisingly, she had already stopped crying, and it seemed as if she was whispering to someone, someone just outside the car window. But there wasn't anything, and no sound came from her mouth. She looked like she was smiling, as if someone or something had comforted her. Strange, very, very, strange.

"Would it be okay for me to ask what she remembered?" Takagi asked.

I shook my head. "I want it to wait until we get to Inspector Megure. Then, hopefully Mouri will be able to say it herself, I wouldn't want to mess up her story."

"There isn't actually much to tell," Mouri said suddenly. "I only know the faces, and nothing else." Her face looked guilty, as if she was hiding something. "I could have stopped him, if only I knew those would be the last words he would say to me alive…"

What strange phrasing. _"Last words he would say to me alive…" _It suggested that he had talked to her in death. But that was impossible, there was no such thing as ghosts. No such thing.

Mouri's tears started again, and Kazuha hugged her. She hugged her back, and I knew I shouldn't watch anymore. Didn't want to intrude on a girl to girl moment.

I wished I had gotten to know Kudo. From what I had heard, he'd had the same interests as me, thought like me, lived like me. Both of us had a girl we liked by the looks of it. Best friends such childhood, but not enough courage to admit our truest feelings. But that's where his story ended, cut down by death. I wondered if I should confess to Kazuha, because a detective never knows when his own death will come…

The car jerked to a stop, and I flew forward, taken by surprise. "Hattori-kun," Takagi said, scanning me worriedly. "We're here. Are you okay?"

"I'm absolutely fine." I fixed my baseball cap which had gotten lopsided when the car stopped. "Just taken by surprise is all!"

"Jeez, Heiji," Kazuha sighed. "Always so darn clumsy." Would confessing to such a person really end up in success. I would delay it a little longer.

When I got off, I was surprised to see the police headquarters instead of the amusement park. "Why are we here?"

"Oh right, Hattori-kun!" Takagi exclaimed. "There seems to be no more information that we can derive from the crime scene, so we're discussing everything at the headquarters."

In about ten minutes, we were at a meeting further discussing Kudo's death. "Mouri has information on who she believes are primary suspects. She thinks this was not a premeditated murder, as she had never seen the suspects nor did Kudo show any sign of recognition. Mouri, would you please begin."

"Thank you, Hattori-kun," she started. "When Shinichi and I were at the roller coaster murder case, there were two men who had the look of criminals about them. One of them was tall, and had long blonde hair. The other was slightly shorter, and both of them were dressed in completely black. The reason I mention them, is because right before Shinichi ran into the alleyway, I caught sight of the shorter man heading into the same alleyway. He must have followed the man, and was killed when he witnessed suspicious dealings!"

"Two men in black you say?" commented Inspector Megure. Then his face lit up in realization. "Those two! I had thought they seemed suspicious at the previous murder! But Kudo declared them innocent then, so I didn't really look too far into that. Good job, Ran-kun, now we have suspects. And even if they are innocent here, they might have witnessed something."

"Mmm…" Mouri nodded, and looked liked she was listening intently to something.

"Everyone, see if you can find anyone with a description like that. The taller blonde hair man should be easier to find, it's hard to forget seeing someone with such long hair. Shiratori-kun." Inspector Megure turned to the policeman. "Help me look through files of known organizations. As we stated before, the suspects are most likely part of a mafia group!"

"Excuse me," I interrupted. "Are we needed?"

"No, it's fine, Hattori-kun. You're allowed to go." He waved us goodbye.

"I'm not really needed right now either." Takagi walked up to us. "Would you like me to take you somewhere?"

"It's about lunchtime." Kazuha stared at her watch. "Heiji, can you take us out for some gyoza? I'm hungry!"

"Then would you like to join us, Mouri?" I asked her.

"That sounds good. I know some good gyoza restaurants in town, would you like me to show you?" she offered.

"Just tell us your favorite, Ran-chan!" Kazuha said. "That'll be good enough for us!"

"There was this one near my house that Shinichi and I used to go to a lot. It's in Beika fifth district. Takagi-san, could you take us to my house? We can walk from there."

"Okay." He answered. We were at the police car now. "Hop in!"

There was something strange about Mouri. Sometimes mentioning Kudo's name, she'd break out into tears. And other times, she'd act like it was perfectly normal. _The last words he said to me alive._ Did a ghost exist? I had no idea, but I was going to find out, or else I wouldn't be Hattori Heiji, famous detective of the west!


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Shinichi's POV

*Note: Even I am confused about exactly what day the bank robbery is compared to the funeral and such. I am just going to put down 'two days after the funeral' and fix it if someone figures out what day it actually is.*

Two days after the funeral, little progress had been made in the investigation. Even though Ran told all she could and a little bit more, the suspects had not been found, and the possibility of an Organization had not been confirmed. Ran had also been skipping school for days, too busy in helping the police find clues, but today, we were joining Hattori and Tooyama for lunch.

They'd been very helpful, and I was grateful to them. The parts I couldn't help Ran with because it would seem very suspicious, Hattori managed to come up with, and make it sound perfectly plausible. Tooyama had become a very good friend to Ran, and always managed to cheer her up.

It was still morning, and Ran was sleeping peacefully on her bed. Sunlight pierced through the window, and climbed up the white walls to paint them a light golden tint. She opened her eyes, and blinked.

_Good morning, Shinichi, _she greeted me. _How was your night?_

_Pretty boring, actually. There's only so much time you can pay attention to a person who's asleep._

_That must suck, _she sympathized. _Wish I could help you with that part._

_What time are Hattori and Tooyama coming? _ I asked.

_Umm... _She looked at the clock, and gasped in shock. _Crap! They're coming in five minutes! I'm still in my pajamas and I need to brush my hair too!_

_Calm down, Ran. _'Calm down, Ran.' One of the last times I had told her to calm down was after she freaked out seeing the roller coaster case. It didn't help much.

_Turn yourself off now! _She was holding the clothes she was going to change into, and slightly blushing.

I faded into a slight unconsciousness, trying to keep everything in my head peaceful. But, there were definitely multiple problems.

The mysterious organization that had killed me.

My parents.

Being a ghost.

The strange look Hattori had cast at Ran the other day.

Ran.

We were supposedly a couple in love, even before we had admitted it to each other. My friends in class would tease us constantly, calling Ran my wife, Ran's friends calling me her husband, the only thing was, we'd never really had a truly 'romantic' moment. Sure there were moments that were eligible for kisses, but there never was one, was there?

A knock came from the door, and Hattori's voice. "Mouri, you ready yet?"

"Almost!" she answered. _Shinichi, you can open your eyes now. _"Okay, you guys can come in!"

"Good morning, Ran-chan!" Kazuha said cheerfully. "How was your night?"

"I slept well." Ran smiled at her. Truthfully, I'd kept her up half the night talking, until she was too exhausted to continue. "Skipped breakfast though; I just woke up now."

"About time too," Hattori commented. "It's nearly eleven, bit early for lunch. I need to hit the bank first, I ran out of cash. Didn't expect to be in Tokyo this long."

"Are you guys going back to Osaka any time soon?"

"I'm staying for another week," Hattori answered. "I'm a hired detective. Kazuha has to go back soon, like two or three days. We do have school, ya' know."

_You've skipped that for three whole days now, Ran. Better hope you didn't miss something important, a good education is essential if you want to succeed in life._

She didn't answer, but I could tell there was a burning weight on her mind. Something she didn't want me to know. Something about me, I could feel that much, and sorrow. Sorrow, guilt, and determination. What was it?

_Nothing you need to know. _Her voice was slightly robotic.

Fifteen minutes passed, and we were at the Teito bank, where a huge commotion was taking place. People were screaming, staring inside and I froze as Ran turned.

There were two armed robbers, pointing their guns at the hostages, tied up in ropes and with duct tape over their mouths, and the guns held in their other hands were pointed at the onlookers. People were backing up and running, not wanting to be hit by a bullet. One of them held several briefcases, obviously full of money, and faced the police that were waiting outside.

"If you don't want these hostages dead, then I suggest that you let us walk away." The voice came from a speaker that had been attached to the locked doors. "Clear the entrance, or I'll put a bullet through this man's head!"

The woman, who had light blonde hair and a sharp pointed face, pressed the barrel to side of his head to prove her point. The police backed away, and she opened the door, still holding the helpless hostage. "If you take on step, I'll kill him!" she threatened the police. The big stocky man behind her came out, holding the briefcases stuffed with cash.

Once they made sure the police were not going to follow, they ran in separate directions. I felt a strange tingling feeling, that I had to follow. Who were these people?

_Ran, follow that woman! _I commanded.

Wordlessly, she ran off in the woman's direction. "Wait, Ran-chan! Where are you going?" Tooyama cried out.

The hostage was dropped two blocks off, along with a disguise. However, we could still see the sprinting figure, making its way toward a parking garage. _A getaway car!_

Ran was slowing down, not able to keep the sharp pace the other woman had kept. _Ran, keep going!_

I had to catch that person. I had no idea why, but I felt it was important. That if I didn't do so, I would regret it forever.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Akemi's POV

*The last POV from Akemi. I feel sad, her point of view was quite fun to write from. P.S. 110 is the Japanese 911.*

I tore the disguise that Vermouth had created for me off my face, and dropped the hostage. The police were not heading after me yet, and with my disguise off, they wouldn't be able to recognize. My mask had changed the shape of my face, and a wig hid my hair color. I chuckled, elated with my success.

The heist had been a snap. One gun shot in the air, and people were willing to do anything to save their skins. The bank had all the money we needed, plus we had stolen a whole briefcase of solid gold. Good thing my partner was strong. He had taken the shorter path; splitting up had been the idea. The mission had succeeded, and now my sister and I would be free, free, free! I laughed, and that's when I heard footsteps behind me.

A teenage girl was chasing me, but she wasn't for the police. She was utterly alone, and slowing down fast. No danger, but I readied my handgun just in case.

When I reached the parking garage where the getaway car was, I ran around the block, in order to confuse the girl if she was still following. I could see the getaway car now, right inside the parking garage, with the driver ready to go. My helper was already in, but then I saw him flash an evil smile. The moment I entered the garage, the car flew past me, and left me behind.

"Ah!" I cried, unable to say anything, while reaching my hand toward it. The car skidded the turn, and disappeared from view.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Sherry's older sister." Gin's chuckle sounded from inside the garage. He stepped out from behind his black Porsche 356A, holding a gun in his hands. "How'd the heist go?"

So this is why the boss agreed to free Shiho and I. "Pretty well," I answered coolly, showing no emotion on my face. "Got all the money I needed. You dyed your hair silver?"

His long blonde hair was now silver-white, not a single golden strand in sight. "Thought it'd look better this way. Besides, someone found out the culprit has long blonde hair. Silver's quite a change."

"I see." I tried to back up slowly, so I could run.

"Not so fast, Akemi." He raised his gun and moved forward. "I've got some things to discuss with you before you die. You probably want to know why I'm here when the robbery was successful, right?" His voice was light and somewhat seductive, but full of malice. It reminded me of a fox.

"I was never allowed to live, was I?" I asked, sweat starting to come down my face.

"There is no room for people who are a liability in our Organization." He sneered at me, aiming for my chest. "What will poor Sherry think? When her big sister is gone?"

"Don't you even dare touch Shiho!" I screamed, forgetting my fear. "Just kill me, don't hurt Shiho!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." He shook his head in amusement. "I didn't get to that part yet. As for Shiho, a couple days without food or water should do the trick. Maybe a couple beatings with it."

"You…" I wanted to scream out every swear word I knew at him. He was every single one of them.

"Quiet now," he whispered. "It's time for the finale."

A flash, and then the sound of a bullet being shot. A bullet whizzing through the air. The pain of the bullet piercing my chest and finding my lungs. I started coughing, and blood came out instead. There were footsteps coming from outside. Was it the girl?

"Bye, bye." Gin drove past me, and left me bleeding as the girl charged in.

She gasped in shock, taking in my shirt, which was quickly turning red, my face and hands, now covered in blood, and the gun lying by my side. "Oh no…"

She started running toward me, then stopped as if by some invisible force. Whipping out her phone, she dialed 110. "Someone's been shot! In the parking garage near the bank robbery, come quickly!"

After she closed the phone, she approached me. Her gentle blue eyes were filled with fear, and her face was pale. She kneeled down, and I grabbed onto her hand.

"Are you with them?" she asked. "The man who shot you, who is he?"

"His name is Gin." I barely managed to get out. "Why?"

"He's the man who murdered my best friend." Her voice broke off. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"You don't have to stay here," I told her. Some people were meant for seeing these kinds of things, I didn't believe that she was one of them.

"I have to." She squeezed tighter. "I'll stay until you die, or until the ambulance comes."

"It pierced my lung. I won't be living."

I couldn't breathe anymore, it was caught in my throat with the blood. Then, I felt I had to tell the girl something.

"If you see someone named Shiho Miyano, please help her," I pleaded.

"Don't talk! I can hear the ambulance." I heard it too, the sound of sirens, but it was fading.

"She's my sister, if you see her, protect her please." I closed my eyes, and I could no longer hear. It was like falling asleep, except I'd never wake up.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Ran's POV

Even as the ambulance entered the garage, I still clasped tightly onto the woman's hand. She had stopped breathing, and her fingers were already turning cold. _"If you see someone named Shiho Miyano, please help her. She's my sister, if you see her, protect her please." _

Those words… they shook me to the core. In the minute I had seen her, she had trusted me enough to tell me to help her sister. She didn't seem like a bad person, despite the face I knew that she was in the bank robbery. _Ran, are you okay?_

_Shinichi…_ His voice broke the silence he had been keeping. _Does it always feel like this? Seeing murder? Seeing death?_ I knew I was crying, the tears were hot rivers running down my face.

_It's never easy. But I was a detective. My job wasn't to grieve, but to bring justice. _Even though his words showed confidence, they seemed to be shaking.

_What's wrong, Shinichi?_

_That man, you saw the one in the car, right? _he asked. I tried to recall him. Long silver hair, and dressed in complete black. Then it hit me.

_He was the one that killed you, wasn't he? _I was shocked. _He killed you._

_Yes, by solving my murder, we can also bring justice to this woman, whoever she was. _He made a gesture to the woman whose hand I was still holding. The ambulance stopped, and medics raced out, and then slowed. It was easy to see that there was no use in going forward. This woman was gone.

"Ran-chan!" Kazuha-chan's voice rang out. I looked in the direction of her voice to see her and Hattori-kun sprinting toward me.

"What happened?" She looked at my bloody hands, and the woman being carried away.

"She was one of the bank robbers. A man shot her. She's dead." It was all I could say. Details weren't important at the moment. However, I needed Hattori-kun to know that her murderer was the same as Shinichi's. "Hattori-kun. The man that shot her, is the same one that killed Shinichi."

"The same one that killed him?" he asked. "What are you talking about? We haven't found a murderer yet."

_Play it calm, Ran. Don't let him suspect anything. He's sharp._

"Just a feeling I had." I had already let one thing slip. No more. "Except his hair was dyed silver. The blonde hair man, look for one with silver hair now."

Hattori-kun looked skeptical, not visibly shaken by the killing of the woman. I thought I heard him mutter 'Same murderer, eh?' and 'Something's not right here.' Kazuha-chan on the other hand, was shivering from fear, looking like a vulnerable baby animal.

"Mouri." Hattori-kun looked at me, and I flinched from the strange intense fire in his eyes. "Why do you know so much more about Kudo's death than you said you did? You're definitely hiding something."

"No I'm not!" I lied. "Do you think I wouldn't have said anything? My best friend was murdered! How would I not tell you everything I know!"

His face told me he was not deceived. "Heiji, knock it off," said Kazuha, sniffling. "Ran-chan's been having a rough time these past few days. And she wouldn't be lying."

The fire in his eyes transformed back into flowing water as he looked at Kazuha. "Okay." He pulled a tissue out of his pocket and handed it to her. "You might want to use this."

_That kid's not going to let it go,_ Shinichi warned.

_I can tell._

_Could you please tell me what you were thinking of earlier? The one you wouldn't tell me? Please Ran? I'm dying to know. _

_No, it's my secret. Not even you can know. _There was no way anyone was going to find out. Except for him. In the very end, when he left me. Because, there was only so much I wanted to go through without him with me.

"I'm not in the mood for lunch anymore," I said wistfully. "I think I'm going to go home."

"I wouldn't do that, Mouri. You'd only have to come back. This is murder, the police will need your help for this one too." He looked towards the entrance, and I followed his gaze to the black and white police cars that were heading in.

The interview was short. I didn't actually know anything, except for how the silver-haired man looked. Not the woman's name, not what happened, not why she was killed, nothing. I left out the part where she told me to protect her sister. I felt it was private.

"Thank you for your help, Ran-kun." Inspector Megure put away the notebook he had been writing in. "Okay, let's go!" The police officers that had come with him followed him into the cars.

Kazuha-chan and Hattori-kun had left when I was being interviewed. I had told them they could leave, so they could have lunch without me. Not to mention I needed to get away from Hattori-kun. He was definitely onto my secret.

_Where are you going now? _Shinichi asked.

_Home. _Where else would I go? I'd had enough for today. A bank robbery and a killing. It'd probably be up in the news tomorrow. I didn't want to see it.

However, because of this, we were one step closer to finding out who the silver-haired man was. And we were one step closer to catching Shinichi's murderer.

*Author's Note: The next chapter will be better! I promise. Shiho's POV next!*


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Shiho's POV

Akemi hadn't come back from the robbery yesterday afternoon. I was still pacing, pacing, pacing, in my lab, restless from worry. Eventually, I fell into slumber at some point. I woke to the sound of a newspaper slammed onto my lab table. I saw a flash of white teeth and silver hair. "Gin…"

"Front page, take a look at the picture." I looked at the photo of Akemi, dead. _Shot through the chest, death by collapsed lung. Other culprit has not yet been apprehended. _

"No way," I whispered, shocked. "Not possible!" My voice rose to a scream. "She can't be dead, she can't be! She said she would come back! She told me that!"

"There's no room for traitors in this Organization," Gin whispered cruelly. "If she was that willing to desert, then she might as well die. I have the gun in question right here." He pulled a handgun out of his pocket, black and deadly.

"You bastard…" I growled through my teeth. "You dirty son of a-" His hand clamped over my mouth, and I felt someone tie my hands behind my back.

"Nice entrance, Vodka," he commented to his comrade. "A couple of days without food or drink should take care of your attitude, right?"

He snapped his fingers, and Vodka started dragging me out of the room. A gag was stuffed in my mouth, so it became impossible to scream all the swears that I wanted to. I tried to kick Vodka, and make him let go, but to no avail. A fist smacked into the top of my head, and I fell unconscious…

I woke up in a dark room, filthy and disgusting, handcuffed to a railing that ran against the wall. I pulled on it, and tried to unlock it, but I knew it wasn't going to be that simple. _Ow… _My arm stung as I tried to pull again. I pulled back the sleeve to reveal a streak of ugly bruises running down the length of my arm.

Now, with no one to be angry at, my fury turned to sorrow, and soon enough I was crying. Akemi was dead. She was really dead. She wasn't coming back to me. Not ever.

"_Give me liberty, or give me death." _I never thought that she would actually go that far. That she would actually die to try to free herself, and free me. And she never would have thought that the robbery was actually a plan to kill her off. Akemi almost always saw the best in people, and tried to avoid what was bad. Always, always, always...

_Hmm? _I felt a foreign object under my legs. _What's this? _It was the newspaper that Gin had slammed in my face and locked into my prison. His idea of a torturous joke. I examined it more closely now, trying to remember my sister. There was a girl holding her hand, crying. The captions named her Mouri Ran. Where had I heard that name before?

I thought back to the newspaper that Gin had slammed on my desk almost a week before, a caption highlighting the death of the famous high school detective, and the girl among the grieving. How interesting, both her and I were victims of Gin's cruelty. I wondered how it must feel, losing a boyfriend. It couldn't be nearly as bad as losing a sister, the only person who had ever mattered to me.

Our parents were long dead, killed in a accident over ten years before. I hadn't even gotten a chance to know them, so when they died, it didn't even hit me hard. But now, I wasn't so sure. The iron cage I had locked my heart in was starting to break, and once it did, I wasn't sure what I was going to do. I didn't want to escape my prison. I wanted to escape the world.

_They should to change it to, 'Give me liberty, and give me death.' _I thought. _If you really want to be free, the only way is to die, right? To escape this stupid place, and move on to whatever's out there._

I knew what to do next. With my free hand, I reached into the hidden pocket of my lab jacket to reveal the poison I kept inside. "APTX 4869…" I whispered to myself. Akemi would be against this. She'd tell me to live on, if not for myself, for her. But she wasn't here anymore, was she?

I lifted it up to my mouth, and hesitated. Would it hurt? How would it feel? Would I join Akemi? _Stop! _I cleared my mind before I had chance to change it. If I thought too far, I wouldn't have the courage to swallow the poison. Placing it on my tongue, I gnawed open the capsule with my teeth, and swallowed the contents. Nearly immediately, I felt the change.

The world seemed to be shaking, like there was an earthquake. My head pounded furiously with pain as my heart raced faster and faster. The air seemed to become thinner, and my lungs didn't seem able to process it. I started to regret my decision, until I heard the hallucination of my sister in my ear. _Shiho…_ That was right. I'd join her. Nothing to be afraid of.

The pain was nearly overwhelming now, and the last of my breath was being gathered for one last shriek of torture. "Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" I screamed, as my heart felt like it was being wrenched apart. Then silence.

Was I dead? The pain had stopped, so why was I still in my prison cell?


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Shiho's POV

*First person with two chapters in a row. Not even Shinichi's gotten that yet… -_-*

The first thing I did, was look around me, so naturally I noticed that the handcuff was no longer on my wrist, and that my labcoat was probably more than ten sizes too big for me. _What the hell? How'd it get so long? _

I stood up, and I could hardly reach the handcuff still hanging on the railing. It wasn't my labcoat that had gotten bigger; I had shrunk. _No way! I tested the APTX 4869 so many times, it's certain death! Why didn't it work for me?_ I had asked for death, but I had been the only one to not get it. How was that fair?

There was no weapon I could commit suicide in the room. And it would be pretty hard to break my skull by banging my head against the wall. I slumped against the wall, and started crying when I heard footsteps running down the hall. My natural instincts took over, and I ran to the air conditioning grate so conveniently located at ground level.

"Was that Sherry?" Vodka's voice blared through the locked door. "You better answer me Sherry, or you're in for a hell of trouble!"

Opening the grate, I climbed in, and repositioned it well enough so that Vodka wouldn't notice it at first glance. I noticed a turn, and I crawled through as fast as possible. Just in time too; somebody slammed open the door, creating a huge blast of noise in the silence.

"She's not here," Gin said. Gin, Gin was here? I shivered in my hiding spot as I crawled further. "How could she have escaped?"

"I'm not sure, aniki," Vodka stuttered. "I heard her scream and rushed right here. I didn't have the keys, so I went to you and…"

"Initiate a search for Sherry! And when you find her, bring her to me. I'll put a bullet in her head this time instead of just a fist." I crawled even faster through the maze of cooling vents. A right turn here, left, straight, anything to get away from Gin. I didn't want to die by his hand.

I reached an empty room, and I recognized it, it was my lab. And there a window that led to the outside. Now that I was small, I could probably get through. I took off the cooling vent cover and entered my room. No sounds from the outside; they must have thought I couldn't possibly have been stupid enough to go back to my own lab. Well, I was desperate.

It was surprisingly easy to escape, a jump to the countertop, a push to open the window, and another jump to land outside. It wasn't until I was out, that I realized it was raining, and that it would be hard to run with such large clothing. But I had no choice, I had to run.

Run where? I had no friends, no parents, no relatives. Who could I even bother to trust? A newspaper flashed in my mind. _Famous High School Detective Shinichi Kudo Found Murdered. _A photo of a girl crying at the crime scene, the caption below naming her Mouri Ran, daughter of Mouri Kogerou, a detective at the Mouri Detective Agency. She had lost someone too. In that instant I knew where I would go. To Mouri Ran's house.

My lab was next to a bus stop, could I possibly have just 1000 yen on me? Reaching into my lab pocket, I found my purse, which Gin and Vodka hadn't thought to remove. The bus pulled up, and I climbed in, paying the bus fare.

"Do you happen to know where Mouri Detective Agency is?" I asked the bus driver, who looked at me suspiciously.

"This bus stops a couple of blocks from it. Wait four stops, and then get off." I took a window seat, and then noticed my reflection. I didn't realize I looked that young. The girl staring at me couldn't be more than six years old.

"_We are both god and the devil. We shall raise even the dead from the grave…." _I recalled Vermouth saying. The ultimate goal of the Organization, to bring the dead back from the grave. The ultimate goal of the APTX 4869. It hadn't brought me back to life, but I was once again a child. Score.

"Girl," the bus driver called. "You're getting off here."

"Thanks." I hopped off the bus, and it was now pouring. Looking at the map, Mouri Detective Agency was probably only five minutes away.

Then my stomach growled, and I noticed the burning thirst in my throat. I hadn't eaten or drunk anything in over twenty four hours. And the rain made me freezing in my thin shirt and rain coat. Could I even make it that far?

_No, I can!_ I convinced myself. _A right, a left, and then Mouri Detective Agency! _

I ran down the street, and then took a turn, nearly colliding with a dark-skinned boy, and a pale-faced girl. They were holding an umbrella, and bent down to help me up. "Are you lost?" The girl asked. "We could help you home."

"No," I told her. "Could you show me to Mouri Detective Agency. I need to see Mouri Ran."

"What do you want with her?" asked the boy.

"Now, now, Heiji. She just wants help. We just left there, I'll walk you back."

It was more bearable under the umbrella, but the wind chilled me to the core. "So, what's your name, little girl?" The girl smiled at me.

"Shiho Miyano," I blurted out without thinking. Shit, I should have thought of an alias.

"Shiho," she repeated. "That's a cute name. I'll call you Shiho-chan, is that okay?"

"It's perfectly fine." Why would she even bother? Nobody had ever called me by the 'chan' honorific in my life. Just Sherry. Only my sister and occasionally Gin or Vermouth would refer to me as Shiho. But Shiho-chan gave me a warm feeling inside, so I let it be.

When we arrived, the girl knocked on the door, and a teenage girl opened the door. "Kazuha-chan, did you forget something?"

"No, not at all, Ran-chan." So this was Mouri Ran. "This little girl said she needed to see you."

"It's very important," I started. "I can tell you who murdered Kudo Shinichi, and other things. That's why I came here, I want to help."

Her face contorted with surprise, and something like fear. "Who are you?"


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Ran's POV

There was a knock on my door, so I rose to answer it. Surprisingly, Kazuha-chan and Hattori-kun had already come back. They'd only left about five minutes ago.

"Kazuha-chan, did you forget something?" I asked her, trying to think if I'd seen a foreign object in the office within the past few moments.

"No, not at all, Ran-chan. This little girl said she needed to see you." She gestured to a small girl with light tea colored hair. Her eyes were an icy blue color, and she glared when she spoke to me.

"It's very important." Her voice was cold as well, not a little bit of warmth in it. Like a windy winter night that freezes you t the core. "I can tell you who murdered Kudo Shinichi, and other things. That's why I came here, I want to help."

Who murdered Kudo Shinichi…? _Shinichi! Do you have any idea who this girl is? _I asked him in a panic.

_I've never seen her in my, well can't say life, existence. Just play along, like usual, Ran,_ he advised.

So, I took the course of my instincts. "Who are you?"

"Miyano Shiho," she answered. She looked back to see Hattori-kun's and Kazuha-chan's reactions. They were as stunned as I was. "The poison that killed him was the APTX 4869, a poison that causes apoptosis."

"Miyano Shiho," I repeated. I had heard that name before. I had heard it when… I gasped. It was that woman who was killed just a day ago. 'If you see someone named Shiho Miyano, please help her,' she had begged, as her eyes started to fade over. 'She's my sister.' "You're that woman's sister, aren't you?"

"You knew Akemi?" I had broken through her shield with just six words. I saw tears starting to come out of her eyes, and the ice melted.

"That was her name?" I said. "I tried catch her after the bank robbery, but I couldn't find her. Then, I saw her in a parking garage. A man with long silver hair had just shot her. I tried to help her, but the bullet pierced her lung." I started choking up. "She asked me to help a person named Shiho Miyano, because that was her sister's name. That's how I knew Akemi."

She remained silent for a couple of minutes, and during that time, Hattori-kun and Kazuha-chan seemed to recover from the earlier shock.

"Hey, Mouri," Hattori-kun whispered in my ear. "How does she know what happened to Kudo?"

_Because her sister and her must have been part of that Organization,_ Shinichi commented. _The only reason he would have shot her when she didn't have the money on her would be because she was a traitor. That must have been why this girl Shiho ran away. But to put an elementary school student in a mafia group…_

_Your deductions are amazing as usual, Shinichi. _

"I have no idea," I lied to Hattori-kun. "Shiho-chan, can you tell us what you meant when you mentioned Shinichi earlier?"

She nodded and started the story. "I am the creator of the poison APTX 4869. More accurately, my late father started the project, but I completed it. I was a scientist in a mafia known as the Black Organization. My sister was a thief. She asked the boss if they would let us go if she stole one billion yen. He said yes, but he didn't mean it. That's why Gin killed her."

_Gin,_ Shinichi said angrily. _Is that the bastard's name?_

"The next day, Gin came to get me and put me in a prison without food or water. I was desperate. I took the poison, the APTX, in order to commit suicide. But it didn't work. It shrank me. That's why I look like an elementary student."

We now had more clues than we had had before. And this girl was probably a treasure of many more. "Thank you so much, Shiho-chan." I kneeled down and clasped her hands. "I'm trying to catch Shinichi's murderers, to give him peace of mind. You've given me so much help."

"It's fine," her voice sounded strangled. She was obviously uncomfortable with me being so close to her. "If you want to solve the murder of Kudo Shinichi, then I can tell you as much as I can. However, even though I was quite high up in the rankings, I didn't know much at all."

Over the next hour, Hattori-kun, Kazuha-chan, and I listened to what Shiho-chan had to say. She told us about the code names, all alcohols: Gin, Shinichi's murderer, Vodka, his subordinate, Vermouth, a master of disguise, and the Boss, whose code name was unknown to nearly everyone. Except for Vermouth and Gin. She started on what the Black Organization did, murder, theft, blackmail, all sorts of crimes. That their ultimate goal was to bring the dead back from life. She told us about where she had worked, and how we might be even be able to get back.

"Let's go now!" shouted Hattori-kun. "We should go inspect the place where you used to work. We might be able to catch one or two of them."

"I wouldn't go if I were you," Shiho-chan said. "If I really escaped, then they'll be setting up the bombs right now."

"Bo-bombs!" Kazuha-chan recoiled in fear. "Why would they use bombs?"

"Destroy the evidence, and if I came back, maybe kill me or bar off the information that I had kept there. Don't risk it; they're fast workers."

Hattori-kun sat back in his chair, but he was shaking from the want to go. Then, he stood up. "I don't care if it blows up, I'm going now!" He ran out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

"Wait, Heiji!" Kazuha-chan ran after him.

Before I could say anything, they had already left. What if there really were bombs, then what would happen? What would happen to Hattori-kun and Kazuha-chan?

"By the way, Ran-san," Shiho interrupted. "Could I stay here for tonight at least? I don't have anywhere to go."

"Sure, I'll just have to tell my dad when he gets back from Mahjong. And just call me Ran, it's simpler." I looked anxiously at the door.

"I'm sure you won't have to worry. There's something about that kid that makes me feel he's invincible." She smiled slightly, and walked off, leaving me there, silent and ultimately confused.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Heiji's POV

"I don't care if it blows up, I'm going now!" I screamed, full of fury. Who was this little girl to tell me not to go? It was my duty as a detective to find clues to solve the murder.

"Wait, Heiji!" I heard Kazuha say behind me. I ran out the door, and slammed it shut behind me. She didn't have to come with me, if there was danger, I didn't want her to come with me.

I heard the door opened again, and her footsteps chasing me. "Don't follow me, Kazuha! I'm the only one who's going put myself in danger!" Like she ever listened when I said something like that.

"I'm not letting you go, Heiji!" she yelled, as she started to trail behind. I was much faster than her. "Please, Heiji, come back!" I didn't listen to her. I only wanted to know the fastest way to the drug company the girl Miyano Shiho had talked about. She had taken the bus, but was that truly the fastest way?

"Taxi!" I waved my hand in front of a bright yellow car, and it stopped for me. "I want to get to this drug company. Quickly please." I handed him 5000 yen and he sped off, faster than the speed limit. Kazuha would have no chance of catching up now.

Within minutes, I was at the factory. It looked menacing to me, since I knew what was about to happen. I charged into the front lobby, it looked like nobody was aware of the bombs that could be about to explode. "This place is going to explode," I told the guy in the front desk. "Evacuate everybody now!" I could hear an invisible timer in my head, counting off the little time that was left. _Tick, tock, tick tock…_

He took a couple of seconds to process it, and then laughed in my face. "Listen kid, I don't have time for stupid jokes on this job, so if you would just leave the building…"

"I'm not kidding!" The adrenaline was getting to me, and my self-control reached its limit. I shook the man and tried to get some sense in him. "This place is going to blow up. They're going to get rid of the evidence!"

"Security!" he yelled, trying to get me off. The guards came and pried me off of him.

"Get out of here, kid." They threw me out of the building. "And don't come back."

"Dammit," I cursed through my teeth. I had to tell them, or hundreds of people would die.

"Heiji!" Kazuha was running towards me. She had come too.

"I thought I told you not to come you idiot! This place could explode at any second and yet you-"

"The same goes for you, Heiji! How could you throw yourself into danger like this? You could get yourself killed! Think about how people were affected when Kudo-kun died. Do you want that to happen to your parents? To me?"

To her? What was she talking about. Her face was shaded a deep red, and I realized what she meant. She was like Ran; she didn't want to lose the guy she liked. "Kazuha, you…" She grabbed me and hugged me.

What happened next was completely unexpected. She kissed me, and I kissed her back. I grabbed her tighter, and it was just us. Nothing had ever felt so perfect.

Then, the world exploded around us, and I was knocked to ground. The air felt like it was on fire, and I was burning. Time stretched into eternity, and I fell unconscious, still grabbing onto Kazuha's hand.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Shinichi's POV

*It feels so long since I've written from Shinichi's POV. What happened to Heiji and Kazuha? Revealed in this chapter!*

"Shiho-chan!" Ran called out to the small girl, who was now walking away. "Do you need anything? I know you just came from imprisonment."

"Some clothes that fit would be nice." She gestured to her sleeves, two feet too long, and her pants which could hardly go around her waist, even with the makeshift belt she used.

"I'll look for my childhood clothes. Wait right here, Shiho-chan." Ran rushed up the staircase into her room.

_Now where did my mom put them? I hope she didn't throw them away… _she thought.

_So Ran, what are your opinions on that little girl down there? _I asked, curious.

_I trust her. I think she's definitely telling the truth. Besides, she lost someone important, just like me. Except, her sister's not there for her. Not like you. Ah, here they are!_

She pulled a short sleeved shirt and jeans. _I can remember you wearing those in elementary school, Ran. It's been such a long time since I've seen them._

_Well, they didn't fit, you know. Besides, I just about never let you into my room. Too embarrassing. _

"Who are you talking to, Ran?" Shiho opened the door, and walked in. "There's nobody in here, who are you talking to?"

Had Ran been talking aloud, if that had been the case, then we had to come up with a pretty good explanation for this…

"I'm talking to myself, of course!" Ran improvised, giggling weakly. "Who else would I be talking to?"

"Well then. Why would it be too embarrassing for you to go into your own room?" The girl's eyes threatened to pierce through our lies, and straight to the truth. Then, I realized she probably deserved the truth.

_Ran, tell her. I think she has a right to know. Like you said, she's a victim as well. _

"Shiho-chan, this is going to sound really, really weird. You're probably going to think I'm crazy." Ran bent down so she was eye level with the girl. "I can hear Shinichi in my head. He talks to me, and he's inside of me. That's until I solve his murder."

Shiho's eyes were guarded, hiding her disbelief. Then, she clenched her fists, and shook. "Shiho-chan," Ran said, trying to calm her down."

"Then why isn't Akemi with me? Why can't she talk to me?" she screamed, crying. "I want to talk to my sister too!"

"I don't know why, Shiho-chan. Shinichi says he's down here to bring justice. Because his murder needs to be solved."

"So my sister doesn't need justice? So she's unimportant compared to Kudo? How's that fair? Akemi was just as important to me as Kudo was to you." Her words shook me. All that she was saying was true. But even I had no idea why I was chosen over others. Countless must have been killed by the Black Organization, but as far as we knew, I was the only one to come back. Was it that I was the only one with the ability to solve it?

"Look, Shiho-chan." Ran tried to hold her still, but she refused to be touched, and backed away. "I don't know why, it just is. Just please don't tell anybody, you're the only other one who knows."

"Why haven't you told anybody else?" she asked.

"Because Shinichi thought they shouldn't know. But you're a victim like me, so he thought it would be okay-"

"Ran, I'm home!" Mouri Kogerou's voice rang through the hall.

"Shoot, dad's back from Mahjong. What do we do?"

_Just introduce her, I guess. Say her parents were just injured in a car crash, and that she's staying with you for the time being._

"Shiho-chan. This is what we're playing by. Your parents just got hurt in a car crash, and they were my friends, no Shinichi's parent's friends, and they sent you over to my house for the time being. That'll explain your crying. Do you want to add anything else?"

"How funny," she commented. "My parents were actually killed in a car accident over ten years ago. Just don't tell him my real name. Tell him my name is Ai Haibara, first name I thought of." Ran nodded, and went to approach her dad.

"Dad," she said, taking Shiho, no Ai, and putting her into his field of view. "This girl's parents were just injured in a car accident and they wanted her to stay with us for the time being. Would that be okay?"

"It's fine, but she's your responsibility." His face was red, he was obviously drunk. That made this a lot easier. "What's her name?"

"Haibara Ai."

It was past dinnertime already, and Hattori and Tooyama still hadn't come back. _Ran, do you think something happened to those two?_

_I'm worried too, I'll call Kazuha-chan. _She picked up her cell phone. It rang once, twice, thrice, and then a mechanical voice answered her call. "Tooyama Kazuha is busy right now, please leave a message after the beep."

_What if the bomb went off? Ran, turn on the TV. _She followed my orders, and the news flashed on.

"I'm here, where a bomb has just been set off at this pharmaceutical factory. We are still searching for survivors."A female reporter notioned to the chaos behind her. Flames, smoke, rescuers frantically digging through the rubble in hopes of finding somebody. "The only two survivors found so far were not actually in the building at the time of the explosion. They were standing a couple of yards away, and they have been taken to the Beika Central Hospital. The names are Hattori Heiji, and Tooyama Kazuha."

Ran let out the breath she had been holding. But it wasn't over yet. Both were injured enough to have been taken to the hospital. _Hurry up you stupid reporter! _Ran thought.

"Both are recovering, and the doctors say they should be able to walk by tomorrow. This is the only ray of light in this dark event so far."

"Dad, I'm going to the hospital right now!" Ran grabbed her coat, and ran out of her room.

"Ah, Ran! Why-" It didn't matter what he thought. He was too drunk to think right anyways.

"I'm coming with you." Haibara was standing at the doorway. "Told you he was invincible, didn't I?" She let out a smirk.

"Not funny, Ai-chan. Both of them are hurt," Ran scolded her.

"You haven't seen what hurt really is. Trust me." The girl's smile faded, and she closed her eyes, obviously remembering some hideous memory.

Did Hattori actually find anything? Or had his recklessness gained him nothing? There was only one way to find out, and we were on our way.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Heiji's POV

I woke up to the slight breathing of Kazuha beside me. I tried to sit up, but pain in my abdomen kept me from doing so, I groaned, and fell back down.

"Heiji?" Kazuha blinked open her sleepy eyes. She looked so pretty and innocent. Our kiss had me rethinking how I viewed her. I wanted more…

"Yes, Kazuha?" I said smiling. The bombing had been nothing, I had gained a prize. A very precious one.

"Could you not hold on so tightly to me hand? It's starting to hurt." She had her usual cheerful smile, so I knew she really didn't mind it at all. But I hadn't realized I had kept holding onto her hand the entire time.

"Yesterday sure was something, wasn't it?" I asked, wanting to know her opinion without asking directly.

She blushed a deep red color, making her pale cheeks look like roses. Her emerald eyes seemed embarrassed. "I loved yesterday. Even if we both ended up in a hospital."

"So did I." I got up, ignoring the pain, and sat down right next to her cot. "You want to do it again?"

Her face flushed even redder, and I had to laugh. "Don't be shy!" I pulled her closer, and we were having our second kiss. Then our third. Then our fourth.

I wanted them to go on forever; her arms locked around my neck, and I wrapped mine around her waist. It seemed like eternity, and the tiniest moment, when we were interrupted by Mouri and the small girl. I stared somewhat warily at them, slightly angry that they had ruined our moment. I let go of Kazuha's hand, and stood up to talk to them.

"Hattori-kun." Mouri looked slightly sad, and wistful. I instantly felt terrible; we were basically flaunting the moments she would never get. "Are you guys okay? They said you were fine on the news, but when we came last night, they wouldn't let us in."

"A couple of cuts, bruises, third-degree burns, nothing major." Luckily, we had been far enough away to be protected from the worst of the explosions. "How many survivors were there?"

"Other than you two?" Her eyebrows raised slightly. Then she seemed depressed. "None, everybody died there. They're having a mass memorial today. The people that the rubble didn't kill, the smoke did. It was absolutely terrible. I'm so happy you two made it."

"Lucky security threw me out then." I remembered the guy at the front who didn't believe me, and the security guards who forced me out of the building. Running into Kazuha, kissing her, and then the world burst into flames around us…"Do they know who set the bombs up?"

"Nobody but us I think. But this little girl doesn't want us to say anything about it. She says it'll put us in major, major danger."

I looked at the girl, Shiho Miyano I remembered, and stared her straight in the eye. "We could arrest them, and stop them from killing anymore people. Hundreds were just killed. And you want to keep quiet, Miyano?"

"It's not Miyano anymore. I'm keeping my real name secret. I'm now Haibara Ai." Her voice was still as cold as it was yesterday, but her eyes were different. Like the eyes of somebody hiding all of their tears, and full of hate. I shivered, she might be twenty, but it was truly scary on the face of a six year old.

"Answer my question. We could end everything here. Tell me why you want to remain quiet." I walked up closer, and bent down so I could face her at eye level. "Why?"

"Sometimes your own safety is worth more than justice. Especially when there's no evidence left behind at all. You know, this time they couldn't even find a single bomb in the wreckage. You can't underestimate the organization, or else you'll die. I'm not sure if I mentioned it before, but you're just a step away from being placed on their hit list." Her eyes were hard, and I was sure she was telling the truth.

"Why would they want to kill Heiji?" Kazuha asked. She looked frightened.

"For guessing right. They think you have the ability to solve Kudo's murder. And if you get too close to the truth-" She held out her hand and pretended to shoot me. "That's what will happen. Short and sweet, just like Kudo. No evidence left behind, and no one left to solve either of your murders. Witnesses, of course, will also be killed." She acknowledged Kazuha and Mouri. "When the media come in later today, you have to tell them you were there by coincidence. Otherwise, well, I've already told you."

I couldn't believe that I would have to hide the truth. Wasn't it my duty as a detective to bring the truth to light? To remove the shroud of lies behind a murder, and reveal the true killer? To bring justice to the dead and living? This case was different from anything I had ever solved before. "I'll keep quiet, but you can't expect me to hide the truth forever."

"I promise I won't make you. I have my reasons to get back at the Organization as well. My sister was killed, of course I want justice." Instead of looking at me, she glared angrily at Mouri. What the heck?

"It's not my fault, Ai-chan," she whispered to the little girl. She didn't notice that I could hear her. "I didn't choose to have him with me. It just happened."

It felt wrong to ask her what she was talking about, but I knew I had to. "Who's with you, Mouri? Please tell me the truth."

She looked surprised, and then sad, and then introspective. She was whispering under her breath, and closed her eyes like she was listening to someone. "Shinichi…"

"Is it something to do with Kudo? Tell me, Mouri," I pressed even deeper, trying to pierce through the veil of lies that I could now see.

"Heiji, stop," Kazuha begged. "It's hurting her."

"But…" I couldn't refuse Kazuha's plead. She saw I had given up, and embraced me. "Not now," I whispered, making sure Mouri or Miyano, I meant Haibara, couldn't hear us. "You'll make her feel worse."

"It is Shinichi." Mouri looked over at us. "It has everything to do with Shinichi. Because he's still with me."

I took in a sharp intake of breath, I had guessed right. Even though ghosts weren't really supposed to exist. Supernatural went against reality, but here it was. In real life. It went against just about everything I had as a detective.

"What do you mean by that, Ran-chan?" Kazuha looked confused, and her face looked like a child asking a question about something it doesn't know.

"He talks to me, through my mind. I can hear him, and I can talk to him. That's how I know what killed him. That's how I know who killed him. That's why, in a way, I can't truly feel sad about his death, because we're in love."

He had died, and then confessed. What horrendous timing. I felt really bad for them, they might be together, but they couldn't truly be together, not like Kazuha and I. What should I say? That I was happy he was with her? That I felt sorry that they couldn't be together? What?

"Ran-chan," Kazuha started. "I'm happy that you finally let that go." She went up and hugged Mouri, and they both cried together.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

*Author's Note: My mom limited my writing time to thirty minutes a day. TT-TT. I probably won't get to update everyday. Sorry!*

Shiho's POV

I stared hard at the two teenagers from Osaka, judging their reactions as they heard the truth. The utterly unfair truth. Ran, she hardly lost a thing. Kudo was still with her. It wasn't even like she didn't have other friends. Akemi had been the only one holding my back, my only friend, my best friend, my sister.

What about him made him so special, that even the angels in heaven let him come back to earth? Just because he solved murders didn't mean he was that special. Just because he never got to say his feelings to his childhood friend didn't make him more worth than Akemi. Why couldn't any of them see that?

The boy looked stunned. Like his view of the world had changed. Figured, detectives had such a tiny view of the world. They had no idea what reality was like, everything was just so stiff with them. Logic this, deduction that, so irritatingly perfect.

The girl was surprised, but the look on her face was more like sympathy. She pitied Ran, for having him with her. For not being able to truly be with him in the sense that she and her friend were. She hugged Ran, and cried with her.

Who had been there to cry tears with me, when I let out my story? They just listened for the parts that would help solve a murder. No sympathy involved. Now, they were getting all teary-eyed for a girl who still had what she lost. It was so unfair.

I clenched my fists, and lowered my face so they wouldn't be able to see my anger. The loathing I had for them. Just because they couldn't see it didn't mean they could ignore me like this.

Hattori got enough breath back to talk again. "Well, that explains a lot of things. And completely changed my view on the supernatural. Here I was, believing that ghosts and such didn't exist."

Ran chuckled, probably Kudo talking to her in her mind. Telling her a funny joke, like he thought that too, or a memory that they shared. Just how was that fair? I wanted my sister back too.

I probably couldn't keep this bottled up much longer. My feelings felt like they were going to explode…

"Ai-chan," Ran said, looking down at me worriedly. "Are you okay? You look a little bit… off." I bet she couldn't find a word.

"How in the world could I be okay?" I asked. "I just lost my sister yesterday, I'm stuck as a little kid, I found out Kudo's in your head and Akemi's not in mine, and so many other things! How is it fair? You just about everything!" My voice rose to a shriek, and they each fell silent.

Their faces filled up with guilt for not seeing what I had hidden, worry from my outburst, but where was their sympathy? Just because I acted like a rock, didn't mean I was one. The boy was a detective of all people, he must have seen feelings like this all the time. Maybe he just didn't care anymore.

"I'm sorry, Ai-chan." Ran bent down so she could talk to me at eye level. "I didn't realize that you thought so strongly about it." Her voice was sincere, understanding in a sense. It was what I had been waiting to hear; however, it was-what was the word?- forced. "I don't think this will happen, but it took about a day for Shinichi to come to me."

I didn't want to be pitied in that sense. It was unfair that I couldn't be with my sister, but I didn't necessarily need her with me all of the time. I just wanted to know that everybody had the same privileges. And Ran had one that nobody else seemed to have.

"It's not that, it's that you have him. No one else has the dead with them. Why should you?" It was no longer about Akemi and Kudo. It was about me and Ran.

"I said I don't know already, Ai-chan." Her voice was somewhat exasperated, I'd already made her repeat it several times.

A knock came from the door. "We're the press, we've been granted permission to come in."

"Here already?" said Hattori, sighing. "I'd wanted a little bit of peace and alone time. Oh well, better sooner than later I guess."

I envied him as well. His carefree nature, and the confidence that radiated from him. I wondered what Kudo had been like, probably the same. Everybody else was different, no one knew the life I'd been forced to live. I wanted to end it, just like I had in the cell. But I didn't have the APTX, so how would I do it this time? Sure a knife would work, but I didn't want to bleed to death. I didn't have access to a gun either.

_When it's time,_ I thought. _When it's time to finally let go of life._


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Heiji's POV

"Hattori Heiji! Tell us about what happened!"

"Tooyama Kazuha, what was it like?"

"Tell us details!"

The crowd of reporters attacked us like an annoying swarm of insects. There was hardly enough space left in the small room to even move. Good thing Kazuha and I were on the bed instead of being trapped in the sea of reporters.

"One at a time please!" I tried to calm down the commotion, but to no avail. There wasn't one person willing to give up their spot as 'first in line' which apparently they all were. I sighed, and then asked Kazuha to help me.

"Just tell them what they want to know," she whispered back. "Try to get them out of here as fast as possible, Heiji. I'm sick of them already."

I'd been surrounded by reporters plenty of times. Sure, I'd enjoyed the publicity and my name all over the papers, but to be posted as a victim, even a survivor, just wasn't my thing. I hadn't even solved a mystery this time. It was all so pointless.

"Okay, okay," I said, giving up. "I'll start on the details." My words managed to silence the entire crowd for a couple precious moments while I started. "Your first question must be, what was the explosion like, right? Well, it's kind of hard to describe. It was like being placed in a sea of fire. Burning, and hard to breathe, because it's like drowning into the flames."

"Why were you there, Hattori-kun?" Asked a female reporter.

"I just happened to be running a minor errand there with Kazuha here." I winked at her and she nodded as she approved my lie. "We'd just left the building when it blew up. I didn't notice anything suspicious while I was there. That's it, right?"

They looked disappointed about not getting anything better out of me. "How about you, Tooyama? Did you happen to notice anything?"

"Nothing at all." She hadn't even been inside the building. She only met me outside, we had our first kiss, and then the building exploded.

"What did you feel about it?" Someone asked, trying to get more info.

"Same as Heiji. Now is there anything else?" Her tone was clearly dismissive. One after another, they trudged unwillingly out of the room.

"What a relief." I collapsed back onto the cot. "I hate stuff like that. The interviews are always the most annoying part."

"What about the part where you show up on the headlines of the newspapers?" Kazuha asked curiously. "Is that any fun?"

"Yeah, if I actually succeeded in something. But this time, I'm a victim. It'll ruin my image." Then I thought of something else. "Crap, what will mom and dad think?"

"They'd probably make you go back to Osaka. My parents would probably force me back too. But I don't want to go back yet. This is a very interesting mystery. I see why you like these things. The only problem is poor Ran-chan and Ai-chan. I feel so bad for both of them."

"That's one of the reasons I have to stay here in Tokyo. In order to solve the mystery and help those two feel better. Step one, we have to find a more permanent living space than hotel rooms. Step two, we have to convince our parents we have to stay. Step three, we should probably enroll in a school here for at least part of the year. It feels like this mystery is going to take a while."

"Good thinking, Heiji." Kazuha gave me a grin of approval. "Just like the great detective of the west!"

"What did that have to do with being a detective?" I asked. "It's just plain old common sense."

"We should ask Ran-chan about what her school's like so we can try to enroll for the time being. Maybe we ask Kudo-kun if we can borrow his house. You know, no one's living in it and houses get so lonely with nobody in them. But first, I'll call mom and dad to tell them. You should too." She pulled out her cell phone and called her dad. Sighing, I did the same. I could already imagine my mom having a total freakout.

The phone hardly had a chance to ring before my mother's frantic voice started scolding me. "Do you know how much I was worried about you, Hei-chan? You're coming back to Osaka now! No more of this dangerous business!" Looks like I had deduced right. I held the cell phone six inches away from my face to make sure I didn't lose my hearing. My mom was _loud._

"Listen, mom," I tried my best to soothe her into a calmer state. I ignored it when it had no effect. "Just let me to talk to dad. I need to discuss something with him." Dad would understand, being a police officer and all. He'd know what I meant when I said I had to solve to this case. At least, I had thought that.

"Listen, Heiji. It's much too dangerous. I'm not letting you stay in a city where random terrorist bombings are taking place. Come back to Osaka now." He sounded calmer yet fiercer than my mom. But like that would affect my choice.

"No, I'm staying in Tokyo. You can't make me leave. I'm turning eighteen in less than a year. I'm almost an adult. I can make my own choices, dad. I've already got plans for where Kazuha and I will stay, and we'll most likely be attending Teitan High School. I'll try my best to not get into anything dangerous." Hopefully he would listen now. I had everything planned out. He had no right to make me leave.

"Heiji." His voice sounded slightly unsure, like he hadn't expected me to reject his authority. But there was still a firm resolution in the sound.

"No, dad. I don't care if you come and pick me up. I'm staying." I heard a sigh from the other end of the line, and I knew he had given up.

"You can stay in Tokyo. But don't expect your mother to accept the idea easily. I'll be calling you as often as I can to check up on you. I'll put monthly allowances into your bank account. You're the one responsible for your food and everything now. Can't keep you a kid forever, can I?" He sounded sad, as if an era of his life had passed. It had. I'd announced my independence.

"Well, then call you later, dad."

"Bye, Heiji." I heard the phone hang up on the other side. I looked over at Kazuha, who was waiting for my answer.

"It's a yes from me." I smiled at her. "What about you?"

"I told my dad I'd be with you, so he actually took it pretty well. He knows I don't really have the bravery it takes to get into dangerous stuff easily." She grinned back, and now her face was expectant. "Now that we're alone, do you want to…"

"Most definitely." We leaned in and started kissing. Staying in Tokyo had been a success, so why not?


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Ran's POV

* I accidently forgot to upload this and managed to skip chapter 22, looks like nobody noticed... anyways, this comes before Ai's school day. Sorry!

"Mm-hm," I agreed. "I'll ask him real quick for you, Hattori-kun."

_They can stay, right Shinichi? _I asked, with a pleading tone.

_Of course they can. Houses get lonely when no one lives in them. They can make themselves at home. Just tell them not to mess with the stuff in my room. _

_Oh, yeah. _I remembered something. _Where are the keys?_

_Oh those,_ I heard him laugh. _If you look under the doormat, you'll find a little puzzle I left. It should be no problem for Hattori. _

_Can't you just tell me where they are? _I asked.

"Oy, Mouri!" Hattori-kun's voice blared through the phone. "Is it a yes or a no? Kazuha and I are about to check out of the hotel!"

"It's a yes. When you get to his house, look under the doormat and you'll find a puzzle that'll help you find where the keys are," I informed him.

"Wouldn't it be easier if he just said where the keys were?" Hattori-kun complained.

_It wouldn't be nearly as fun that way. Would it? _Shinichi said.

"He thinks it would be more fun for you to figure out yourself." I heard a sigh from the other end of the line.

"Fine. We just checked out of the hotel. We're going to his house now." Hattori-kun hung up.

"What did Hattori want?" Ai-chan asked, with a frown on her face. She'd been staying at my house for the past few days, and her mood never seemed to improve. I wanted to cheer her up really badly, but I had no idea how.

"He wanted to know if he could stay at Shinichi's house. He and Kazuha-chan are going to stay in Tokyo." I looked at the clock in the wall. "Oh no, we're almost late! Do you have your stuff, Ai-chan?"

"It's here." She gestured to the backpack filled with school supplies on her back. I had signed her up for Teitan Elementary School. It would look weird to my dad if she wasn't going to school. I too was finally going back to high school after about a two week break.

"Okay." I nodded to her. "Dad, we're leaving for school!" I called into the Detective Office as we passed.

"Bye Ran! Bye Ai-kun!" he answered. "Have fun at school!" Dad had taken fairly well to Ai-chan. She wasn't annoying like most kids, and not bothersome at all.

"Is this really necessary?" Ai-chan asked. "I'm older than you, you know? Why should I have to go back to the first grade?"

"You're probably going to be staying with us for a while. It'd be good for you to meet some people you can be friends with. It also gets rid of suspicion."

"Like I could make any friends. I've never had any in my entire life." Her tone was sarcastic, but I could tell she was serious. To never have a friend in twenty years of life, it must have been terrible for her.

"Then I bet you'll be able to find tons once you get to school. All you have to do is act nice and friendly. Elementary school is the easiest place to make friends." I tried to sound optimistic, but even I could hear the doubt in my voice.

"I've managed to get this far without a single one. I don't need one." She was still rejecting everything I said. I had thought that when I'd said I felt sorry for her I opened up a door, but it seems it locked itself again.

_Tough one, isn't she?_ Shinichi asked.

_Definitely. I just feel so bad for her. I hope she actually manages to make some friends. She needs them. I don't think she wants me as a friend, _I admitted.

_Why not? You're really nice and kind. You'd help her in a split second. _

_She's jealous of me. Especially after her sister didn't come to her after a couple of days. She wishes her sister was still with her. _

_She'll probably get over it eventually, _Shinichi said dismissively. _As long as nothing else tragic happens to her._

I looked up at the street number, and realized I had skipped the one to the elementary school. "Ah, Ai-chan-" She had already left for the elementary school. Sheesh.

I took the right towards Teitan High School. How would I be received? I'd skipped about two weeks of school without any real excuse other than grief.

"Ran-chan!" I heard Kazuha-chan call out. I looked over my shoulder to see her and Hattori-kun running towards me. She slowed down as she got closer. "We're coming to school with you!"

"That's great!" I said. "You guys came quick. Did you find the key and everything?"

_It'd be really sad if he didn't, Ran. It doesn't even take a detective to solve the puzzle I left._

"He hid it inside of a fake rock next to the steps. It was a really simple puzzle. I bet an elementary school student could solve it. Oh yeah, speaking of elementary students, where's that Haibara girl?" He looked around like he was expecting to see Ai-chan standing right next to me.

"She's already gone to the elementary school."

"That stinks," said Kazuha-chan. "I wanted to say hi to her. Do you think she'll be okay?"

"I'm sure she'll do fine." I heard the bell ring from the school. "We better run, or we'll be late!"

We got into our classroom just in time, panting. "Ran!" called Sonoko. "You better sit down." She patted the empty seat next to her. I sat down thankfully, catching my breath. Hattori-kun and Kazuha-chan stayed at the front of the classroom, waiting for the teacher to introduce them and assign them seats.

A teacher I did not recognize walked into the room. "Sonoko, who's that?" I asked.

"That's Jodie-sensei," she answered. "She's the new English teacher and she's taking the place of our old teacher who retired last week." I remembered the old sensei. He was always so strict, I wondered how Jodie-sensei was.

"Good morning class!" Jodie-sensei said in English.

"Good morning!" Everybody answered back.

"We have two new students today." She switched back to Japanese and gestured to Hattori-kun and Kazuha-chan who smiled and waved. "This is Hattori Heiji and Tooyama Kazuha. They're from Osaka and are going to be staying for the year. I hope you'll be kind to them."

"We hope we'll get to know everyone very well," they said together.

"Choose any empty desk." Jodie-sensei pointed to the back of the room where Sonoko and I were sitting. They chose the desks next to ours, and Kazuha-chan winked at me. Murmurs started in the classroom.

"Hattori Heiji, isn't that the famous High School detective?"

"Aren't they the ones who were caught in that drug factory explosion a couple of days ago?"

"I heard Hattori-kun was supposed to be as good as Kudo-kun. Poor Kudo-kun."

"Silence class!" Jodie-sensei reverted back to English. "We have to get started! Everybody take out their English textbooks and turn to page 167."

"Is she like that all the time?" I asked Sonoko. I wasn't really all that good at English, and I only understood half of what she was saying.

"Yeah. Her Japanese is a little shaky. But she's really fun!"

We weren't even halfway through class when the principal came in. "Is Mouri Ran here?"

"Ran, what did you do?" said Sonoko curiously.

"I don't know." What could it be? "I'm here!" I told him.

"Come out in the hallway. I have to discuss something with you." I walked out of the classroom, and waited for him to tell me what this was all about. "We're having trouble with the new elementary schooler, Haibara Ai. Could you please come to help her?"

What could she possibly have done in forty minutes?


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Ai's POV

Ran seemed to have zoned off as she passed the street leading to the elementary school. Probably talking to Kudo-kun in her head. How lucky of her.

I headed down the street by myself, thinking about ditching on my first day. Who even said I had to go to school? I already knew everything they would teach me. Kanji, English, Math, Science…. Science would be the easiest. I worked with it my entire life, I'd like to see a teacher who knew more than me in that subject.

I walked silently into the school, ignoring the pointless chit chat around me. Several groups of kids passed me, smiling and laughing with each other. Were they all friends with each other? I'd never had a true friend unless my sister counted. But even then, there was nothing to laugh or smile about.

Ran had told me to go to the office to find the teacher, Kobayashi-sensei. She would then take me to the classroom and introduce to all of my new classmates. Like I couldn't find the way to the room myself. Within a few minutes, I was standing in front of the door. I opened it, and looked in to see about twenty first graders talking to each other before the teacher came. All happy and smiling. All innocent and carefree. I shut the door so I didn't have to see anymore. I was skipping school today.

As soon as I started walking back down the hallway towards the exit, I ran into who must have been the teacher, Kobayashi-sensei, because she asked if I was the new student Haibara Ai. When I nodded, she led me to the classroom, even though I clearly showed that I didn't want to. I was forced to stand in front of the class, while she introduced me.

"Hello class, this is the new student, Haibara Ai. She'll be studying with everybody starting today. Say hello everybody!" The teacher said cheerfully.

"Hello!" Everyone said, smiling.

"Hello," I replied quietly. "I hope to get to know you all very well." I made sure there was no sincerity in my voice. I walked down the aisle and planted myself in the first empty seat. Big mistake. The girl sitting there instantly launched into a conversation with me, and it would be very rude if I got up and left.

"Hello, Ai-chan," she greeted me. "I can call you Ai-chan, right?"

"It doesn't really matter what you call me." I looked straight forward, trying to ignore her.

"I'm Yoshida Ayumi, but you can just call me Ayumi!" She was still trying her best to make conversation with me. "Where are you from, Ai-chan?"

"From a different part of Tokyo." Would this girl just shut up? Was it that hard to tell I didn't want to talk?

"Which part?" she asked.

"Akiruno." It was the first part of Tokyo I could think of off the top of my head.

"Ayumi's been there before!" Looks she also had a habit of talking in third person. "It's really fun."

"Mm-hm." The teacher had started talking about basic math and how to add numbers.

"Do you have any siblings? Pets?" Siblings… I did have a sister. But that was none of this girl's beeswax.

"Nope, not one." I started taking notes, showing her that I really did _not_ want to talk to her.

"Neither does Ayumi. Ayumi has goldfish, but they don't really count as pets. Why'd you move here?" she continued.

"I don't know. I didn't ask my parents." Like I had any parents. They'd been killed in that car accident years ago, and I hadn't even shed a tear for them.

"Yoshida-san," Kobayashi-sensei called, saving me from another pointless question. "Can you answer this problem for me?" She pointed to the addition problem on the board.

"Ayumi knows! The answer is three!"

"That's right, Yoshida-san. The answer is three." She moved on to the next kid, leaving me once again vulnerable to the girl sitting next to me.

"So Ai-chan, where do you live? Is it nice?"

"Nice enough." I added this girl on my extremely long list on why I should commit suicide the moment I had the chance. It continued like this for the next hour and a half. Then, I couldn't stand it anymore. Why was she so annoying? So open? So friendly?

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" I shouted, standing up. The entire class turned in my direction. "I can't stand you anymore! All you've been doing is asking me pointless annoying questions this entire stinking time! And I am sick of it! Sick of it I tell you!" My anger had reached its maximum point. The insults started flowing out ceaselessly, and it wasn't until the teacher pulled me out of the room when I stopped.

"Haibara-san!" She scolded harshly. "What could Yoshida-san possibly have done in one hour to make you react like that? Answer me!"

"She kept on asking me questions, and it was so annoying. I just wanted her to shut up! I couldn't stand it!" I answered honestly, still screaming.

"I'm going to have to tell your guardians. You're going to the principal." She escorted me to the office, where everybody looked at me curiously. The curiosity quickly turned into hostility as Kobayashi-sensei explained the situation. I sat silently on a chair until Ran came in about ten minutes later.

"What did you do, Ai-chan?" she questioned me.

"She had a tantrum during class," answered Kobayashi-sensei. "She was screaming and shouting insults." A tantrum. It made me sound like I was three years old. I was twenty.

"I'll take her home to calm her down." Ran grabbed my hand. "It won't happen again. Right, Ai-chan?"

"Hmph," I snorted. Why would I even have to come again. She squeezed my hand so hard it hurt. "Ow…"

"I'm sorry, sensei." She dragged me out of the office and out the front door. "Your first day didn't go so well it seems, Ai-chan."

"Just the opposite. That girl wouldn't shut up. She kept on asking me about my family, where I came from, what I liked, it was just so annoying. I can't stand people like that," I fumed.

"You sound like a three year old, Ai-chan." A three year old? "You should be trying to act maturely at least. Not throwing temper tantrums, or having anger issues. I know you've been having a really hard time, but you don't have to act like that."

I realized how stupid I'd acted, but I refused to admit it. "Fine, I'll apologize when I go back to school tomorrow. Is that good enough for you?"

"Well, it's a start. I'm going to drop you off here. I still have to go back to class. See you later, Ai-chan." She ran off towards the high school, leaving me alone on the empty street.

What a great first day of school.

**So, what do you think? I might take a little longer for the next chapter, because I have to finish the Magic Kaito series so I can actually write accurately from Kaito's POV. Wish me luck! Please review and continue reading!**


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Kaito's POV

*Yay! Kaitou Kid did find a way into my story after all! It only took me an hour and a half to finish Magic Kaito! Okay, enough about my jubilation, onto the story! P.S. This is like from the beginning of my story, I'm just putting it in now. Pretend I didn't seriously mess up the timing. And the Blue Summer is just a random name for a jewel I came up with.*

I could still hear the police sirens echoing around the crowded city, several blocks away. They always fell for the same tricks; how long would it take them to figure out that I used a dummy to get away? I was hiding on a rooftop just a couple hundred feet away from the crime scene. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the jewel and held it up to the moonlight, a habit I'd developed after those men had told me that Pandora glowed red in the light of a full moon.

The diamond in my hands only sparkled a pristine white, leaving me in disappointment. I tilted in into several different angles, still hoping that there would be a red jewel hidden inside. When there was no such thing, I angrily threw the jewel to the ground. I wished it would just shatter, like my spirit threatened to do inside of me. I'd been searching for what seemed an eternity for Pandora, the jewel my father had been killed for. Picking up the jewel again, I saw my reflection in the gem. A face showing no emotion, a cold glimmering monocle, and a mysterious smile. The poker face I had developed, that stayed even when I didn't want it.

_Why do you do it? _Hakuba's famous question echoed in my head. _Tell me why you would do something like that. _I had only one real reason. To get revenge for my father, to lure out the men who had killed him, and find and destroy Pandora. They were all the same thing. Do one, and all of them would be fulfilled. I changed out of my flamboyant white suit, and switched into normal clothing. Jeans, a shirt, and a jacket. It was rather chilly outside.

Running down the stairs to the exit of the building I had hid in, I decided to run past the place where the jewel had been kept. The Kaitou Kid fans were still there, cheering at my success. It was almost too easy to blend in with the crowd. I wished I could truly be among them, not a thief, not a petty criminal. Nobody noticed when I pulled out the priceless diamond and tossed it right at the police who were still trying to get their act together.

It clonked Inspector Nakamori in the head, and it took him a few moments to process the fact that the jewel was back in his possession. I thought about the note I had left on it.

_This is not what I'm looking for. Sorry for the inconvenience._

_With Love, _

_Kaitou Kid_

It sounded so much lighthearted than I really felt. A light raindrop fell on my shoulder, and it quickly became a downpour, showering everybody who was unfortunate enough to be without an umbrella. To me, the rain was a tormentor, taunting me about the failure of not being able to find Pandora. _Stop it, _I thought, even though I knew I couldn't do anything about the rain. _I'm trying my hardest._ I ran home, my tears becoming nearly indistinguishable from the rain that was still ceaselessly pouring, ignoring my request.

When I got to school the next morning, I was surprised to find out that the Kaitou Kid heist wasn't the talk of the school. Instead, everybody was in huddled groups, discussing today's headline. A couple of girls were crying, as if someone they knew had died.

"Kaito, did you see today's news?" Aoko appeared from behind me. I shook my head. "Take a look." She handed me her newspaper.

**Famous High School Detective Kudo Shinichi found Murdered in Tropical Land. **There was a picture of a boy who could have been my twin brother on the front page. In the photo, he was wearing a broad, arrogant smile and looked like he was about to laugh. I read the first part of the article.

'Kudo Shinichi, a famous high school detective, was found dead about 21 o'clock last night in a small alleyway right outside the exits of Tropical Land. While the results from the autopsy have not come in yet, we know that he suffered a hit in the back of the head from what was most likely a bat or an iron pipe. The police are still in confusion.

'Kudo accomplished many things before he died'. The article started into an obituary. The only part that caught my eye was, _once even nearly caught the famous thief Kaitou Kid._

I didn't remember ever seeing him at a robbery. Wait, there had been one time where Hakuba wasn't there and I'd still nearly been caught. Could it have possibly been this murdered detective.

"This article nearly scared me to death. For a second, I thought it was you on the front page," Aoko admitted. "You look a lot like him."

"It looks that way," I commented. At the moment, it had seemed like a one day thing, something that wouldn't matter in my life. But the days grew longer, and I realized that this was actually important to me. Especially when a high school detective named Hattori Heiji appeared on the news a few days later.

"The famous Hattori Heiji, detective of the west. Have you been able to make anything out of this shocking murder?" asked a reporter.

"The last person known to be with him before death is currently stunned with grief. I'm pretty sure she can tell us something once she's better. However, with no cause of death, I believe that it might have been the work of poison. I don't remember when, but I read an article on a type of cell destruction called apoptosis, which is programmed cell death. Of course, this is very hard to discover, because all the cells in the victim's body have already died, but it is the only plausible explanation I can think of."

And the newspaper articles a few weeks later, when another one of my heists was overshadowed by news on the murder. _**Murder of Kudo Shinichi seems to have been done by an Organization. **_

'Only a very rich organization or crime group could have had the resources and knowledge to develop an apoptosis poison. While we don't know anything about it so far, we are definitely getting closer.'

"What are you looking at, Kuroba-kun?" Akako asked me.

"Just a newspaper article about that high school detective. What about it?" I looked curiously at her. She seemed to pondering something.

"It is related to your own problems, Kuroba-kun. I can tell; I hear Lucifer in my head." She started zoning off, and I took a moment to consider what she said. Her little premonitions and 'feelings' were usually correct. Did she mean to say that this guy had been killed by the same people as my father? On the other hand, her stating that the devil was talking to her in head again was just plain creepy.

"What problem is she talking about, Kuroba-kun?" Hakuba asked.

"It's nothing, Hakuba," I said, trying to keep any emotion out of my tone. I didn't want to give him anymore hints pointing to the fact that I was Kaitou Kid.

"Did you hear about Kid's announcement yet?" His blue eyes seemed to light up with excitement. "He's aiming for the Blue Summer, which is being kept in the Beika Diamond Hall tonight at eight o'clock."

"Oh, I think I saw that on the news." I didn't look at him, no need to give him fuel. "He's been pretty busy, hasn't he?"

"It's quite surprising, because from the DNA tests I did on a hair that Kaitou Kid left behind, he's a high school kid. Strange, isn't it?" He stared at me suspiciously again. I remembered the time he had mentioned that to me before, the one time I had almost been caught. Luckily, Akako had disguised herself as me and stole the gem in my stead.

"Kaito, do you want to come with me to watch dad stop Kid today?" offered Aoko. "It'll be fun, dad says he'll definitely catch Kid tonight!"

"Sounds great," I said. "Where should I meet you?"

"At the front of the building at seven o'clock tonight." She smiled, I usually had to refuse her offers for me to come to a Kaitou Kid heist with her. It usually made getting away a whole lot harder than it had to be. I smiled back, there would be a good show tonight.

"Kaito! Kaito! I'm here!" I saw Aoko frantically waving at the head of the crowd that was beginning to form.

"Coming!" I was making my way through the sea of people, trying not to run into somebody. We walked into the building together, and she showed me the way to Blue Summer. It was a beautiful jewel; it shone a warm blue, kind of like a fire. "What kind of security did your dad set up this time?" I asked casually.

"There is bullet proof glass, a fingerprint scanner to open up the glass, and all the windows will be barred at eight. I'm guessing that it'll be pretty hard to get in and out. But, Kaitou Kid always seems to find a way, doesn't he?" It was Hakuba that answered my question. His eyes shone like a hawk's, showing me that he knew that I was Kid.

"It seems that way. But what would I know about Kaitou Kid?" I took a step back, nervously.

"Ah, Kaito-kun!" said Inspector Nakamori. "Looks like you decided to come today! So what do you think about the security? Not even Kaitou Kid's magic could get him out of this one, don't you think?"

"Who knows?"

"Oh come on, Kaito-kun. You're a magician, right? You should at least know something about things like this."

"I'm definitely not as skilled as Kaitou Kid. You never know what's up his sleeve." Currently, I was hiding my card gun, and my outfit in my sleeve. "I'll take a look at the security though." I closely inspected the fingerprint scanner. "How does this thing work?"

"It's pretty simple, it only works with my fingerprint." Inspector Nakamori pressed his finger to the scanner. It glowed green as it inspected his print. Then the case opened, leaving the Blue Summer vulnerable.

"It looks foolproof to me." I quickly slid a piece of untouched wax paper onto the scanner, taking Inspector Nakamori's fingerprint. "I bet he'll be caught today!"

The inspector chuckled, and walked away.

When it was 7:55, I told Aoko I had to go to the bathroom. "But Kaito, you'll miss Kid!"

"Don't worry, I'll try to hurry back!" Entering the bathroom, I got into the nearest empty stall. I quick changed into Kid, and crawled into the vent that was conveniently located right on the top of my stall. My first stop was the power room. I sprayed chloroform through the vent, putting the two guards to sleep.

_5, 4, 3, 2,1. _I pulled on the switch, successfully knocking out the electricity. I jumped back into the vent as I heard feet running towards the power room. It hardly took a minute for me to arrive at the room with the Blue Summer. I jumped from the vent, and ran to the fingerprint scanner. It scanned the wax paper, and opened. Snatching the Blue Summer, I ran back towards the bathroom. Nobody even saw me steal the jewel.

I was back by Aoko's side in seconds. When the lights snapped on again, Inspector Nakamori flew into a panic. "How could this happen? I thought that this was foolproof!"

The jewel was hidden in my pocket; I had carefully disguised it so that it wouldn't appear suspicious. I hoped that it was Pandora. I hoped that it was finally it. But, when had luck like that ever been on my side?

**Wow, that's my longest chapter yet. I didn't even mean for that to happen at all. So, what did you think about Kaito? How is he going to fit in with all of this? Next chapter: Haibara goes back to class.**


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Ai's POV

*I'm sorry, but I am absolutely sick of calling Kazuha 'Tooyama' so I'm just calling her Kazuha or Kazuha-chan from now on. Oh, and I'm sorry about not being able to write yesterday. I was working on something with a friend, and then I went to sleep early so I could watch the lunar eclipse. Did anyone else see it? Or was it only visible on the east coast?*

"Make sure you actually behave today at school," said Ran. "And apologize to Ayumi-chan too."

I sighed, we'd been over this about a hundred times since that disastrous outburst I'd had during class yesterday. I just hoped that annoying girl would actually shut up today. If not, then perhaps we were in store for another catastrophe.

The door rang, and Ran answered it, letting in Kazuha and Hattori-kun. "You guys are early, did you have breakfast?"

"No, that's why we're here actually," admitted Hattori-kun. "You see, there's no food in Kudo's house and we haven't gotten to a grocery store yet…"

"I'll cook something up. Give me a minute." Ran rushed back into the kitchen, leaving me alone with the two Osakan teenagers.

"Umm… I heard you got into a spot of trouble yesterday, Ai-chan," Kazuha attempted to start a conversation.

"I got kicked out of class for screaming insults at the girl sitting next to me." Interesting, she hadn't been told details by Ran.

"Oh yeah," Hattori saved Kazuha from replying to my awkward response. "Did you guys hear about that Kaitou Kid heist last night? He stole the gem Blue Summer."

"What kind of gem was it?" asked Ran curiously. "I think I heard part of the announcement last night, but I was too tired to watch the heist."

"It wasn't much to watch. He stole it during a blackout." Hattori looked disappointed. He'd obviously been watching it on TV. "The gem was a large blue garnet. Kudo should be able to tell you more about it; it was in the Sherlock Holmes novel, The Blue Carbuncle."

"Isn't that kid dead?" Ran's father suddenly appeared at the doorway. "And what are you two kids doing here so early in the morning? Don't you have your own place to stay?"

"They're just visiting, I'm making breakfast for everybody right now," Ran answered. "And Hattori-kun said that Shinichi _would_ have been able to tell me more about it since he was a huge Holmes fan. You must have missed that part." Her dad grunted, then sat down at the table.

"I just want coffee; I'm going to go out with an old friend for lunch." Ran gave him a steaming mug of coffee that she had prepared beforehand.

"Breakfast is ready!"

"You're a pretty good cook, Ran-chan," commented Kazuha as we left the Detective Agency.

"I don't think so," she replied sheepishly. "I learned from my mom and she's absolutely horrible."

"I'm going," I announced, as we hit the turn to the elementary school.

"Wait, Ai-chan," called Ran. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"Why should you? How many times do I have to remind you that I'm at least two years older than you?" I glared back at her. When she didn't respond, I walked down the path, alone.

When I arrived at the entrance of the school, I saw a few of my classmates glancing in my direction and having whispered conversations. I didn't see the little girl Ayumi though. The whispered conversations were even worse when I entered the classroom, minutes later. They looked scared of me. I sighed, and sat down at my seat where Ayumi was already sitting.

She seemed awkward, but not scared like the other kids. "Ayumi's sorry for yesterday, Ai-chan. I didn't realize that I was being annoying." She was apologizing to me? How did that make any sense at all? She should hate me, not say she was sorry. "You want to start over and try to be friends? I promise I won't talk as much." She held out her hand, and I shook it, feeling a new warmth blossom inside of me.

"Sure, Ayumi. Let's give it a shot."

During lunchtime, Ayumi introduced me to her two best friends, Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya and Genta Kojima. They smiled, and I recognized them as the two boys sitting in front of me. When Ayumi first told them she invited me to sit with them, they seemed a little wary. But after ten minutes, we were all chatting like old friends. It felt… good.

"Ai-chan, what's your favorite subject?" asked Mitsuhiko-kun.

"I like science the best," I answered honestly. "Especially chemistry and physics. They're very entertaining."

"Science is my favorite subject too!" he announced excitedly. "My favorite part of science is technology! I love robots, computers, and anything like that. I think they'll be the future of our world someday."

"Ayumi likes everything!" The little girl interrupted. "Everything is really fun to learn!"

"Does anyone want to go back into the lunch line with me?" asked Genta-kun. "I want to get more eel."

"Don't you ever think you eat a little too much eel, Genta?" commented Mitsuhiko, who was then grabbed by the collar of his shirt by an angry Genta. "Ah, I didn't mean it! I'll go with you!" He pleaded. I laughed at them, they were so funny.

"You look really pretty when you're laughing, Ai-chan," Ayumi complimented me. "You should do it more often."

"Do you want to join us this weekend for a camping trip?" offered Mitsuhiko. "My sister's taking us; it'll be a lot of fun!"

Ran had been right. Friends were worth the while. But how long could something like this possibly last?

**Who liked this chapter? Plz be my friends and review! If Haibara could make friends, then this should be easy! Update today! (12/22) I won't be able to update after that until the 27th because my cousin (who I only see for two weeks total a year) is coming over for Christmas! **


	26. Christmas Special!

Omake: Christmas Time for MSK!

*Omake chapter (it means, 'not part of the actual plot' or 'extra'), I'm so happy! I will continue writing the rest of the story after Christmas break! I'll be back writing before New Years, until then, have happy holidays! (if you review any chapter, you will seriously make my day!) Don't take any of this writing too seriously, it's just for fun!*

Third Person

There were three teenagers sitting next to a cozy fireplace, and four small children playing around on the computer. One of them was celebrating her real first Christmas, her name was Shiho Miyano. But she was known as Ai Haibara.

She smiled happily as she competed with her friends on the online game, the first real smile she'd had in a while. She hadn't realized that making friends could be so absolutely fantastic. "You're doing great Ai-chan!" said the other girl, Ayumi Yoshida. "Is this really your first time playing?"

"Yup!" Her face was lit up as she replied, and one of the teenagers looked relieved in her direction. Ran Mouri had been worried about how Ai would interact with the children after a disastrous first day of school. But, everything had turned about better than she could have thought. The shrunken twenty year scientist finally had her first true friends.

"Where's your dad, Ran-chan?" asked the other girl, Kazuha Tooyama. "Is he busy?"

"Yeah." She nodded sheepishly. "A case came up, and he's trying his best to solve it. He doesn't think he'll be able to make it."

"And we had everything prepared too," sighed Heiji Hattori. "Jeez, that guy sure has perfect timing, doesn't he? To miss a Christmas party, I even bought the old man a present." He pointed to the Christmas tree with at least a dozen presents under it. "You'll have to take it to him afterwards."

"You guys are getting pretty comfortable with this house, aren't you?" asked Ran.

"Mm-hm," said Kazuha. "Tell Kudo that we said thank you," she also whispered, making sure the children didn't hear. They hadn't learned the secret, nor did anyone want them to. An unsuspecting child could probably be very dangerous.

"When do we get to open the presents, Heiji-niichan? Kazuha-neechan?" asked Mitsuhiko, one of Ai's new friends.

"You can open them now if you want," offered Kazuha. "Even though it's only Christmas Eve." She looked at the clock, which showed it was only an hour to Christmas.

"Nope!" Heiji stopped the kids from charging at the presents. "These are all fake. Your real presents are hidden somewhere else. You'll have to solve this puzzle to get them!"

"Why, it's almost Christmas," whined Genta. "Can't we just have the presents?"

"It's my fond belief that a puzzle makes everything a little bit more fun. I'm a detective after all. If you guys do solve the puzzle, I'll tell one of the mysteries I solved, so how about it?"

"Just a story?" asked Mitsuhiko. "Can't we get anything else?"

"I'll think about it," said Heiji. "In the meantime, here's the puzzle!"

'In the dark I am hidden, hidden from plain sight,

In order to find me, it'll take all of your might!'

"Heiji, you're really bad at rhymes," whispered Kazuha, as Mitsuhiko read aloud the puzzle.

"Shaddup," he replied, face red.

'There's a place in this house, where things are stored,

And sometimes people will go in if they are bored.

There lies your first clue.'

"Where things are stored?" asked Ayumi.

"Well that's an obvious start," commented Ai as she glared at Heiji, making him recoil. "The answer is-" Heiji clamped his hands over her mouth.

"Let the kids do it! No help from you!" he said irritated.

"Let go of Ai-chan, she can help if she wants to," Kazuha said. "After all, she's a _normal kid._" She put emphasis on normal and kid. Heiji sighed, and let her go.

"The answer is the kitchen. You store things like food in the kitchen, and a lot of people will eat when they're bored. Kind of like Genta-kun here." They all laughed at Ai's joke.

"Hey," Genta defended himself. "It's normal, okay?"

They all headed to the kitchen as Heiji watched with a broad smile on his face. "I wonder how long it'll take them to figure it out."

"I hope you didn't make it too hard for them, Heiji," said Kazuha.

"It'll take that tea-colored hair girl split seconds. It would be a whole lot more fun if she just let the kids do it."

"Ai-chan needs some fun too. She missed out on most of her childhood. She should have a chance to re-do it," Ran said.

"Ah, it's here!" Mitsuhiko cheered. "I found the next clue!"

'To the young detectives who found this clue,

The next part might be a little hard and new.

'Inside a book, on a shelf, there lies your next hint,

I hope you like mysteries, because in the book there's a tint,

Of exciting surprises, and thrilling suspense,

And for the page numbers, I now shall dispense.

'Solve : x+90=280'

"I don't think he left enough clues here," Ayumi commented. "How will we know what book it is?"

"I think he made it a bit more noticeable than the others somehow. Otherwise, it'd be really unfair." Genta rubbed his forehead. "Where do you think the book would be?"

"In the library! There's a big library here in Heiji-niichan's house!" exclaimed Mitsuhiko. The kids didn't know that the house's true owner was murdered either. It would be saved for another time.

They ran to the library to find one book lying on the ground. It read 'The Valley of Fear' by Arthur Conan Doyle.

"This is a Sherlock Holmes book," commented Ai as she picked it up. "If x+90=280, then x=190." She flipped to the page, and read it.

"So, what's it about?" asked Ayumi.

"It's the part where the criminals find out that the man they were trying to find was already among them. Heiji-niichan really stretched with this clue." A coy smile was on her face.

"So, what is it, Ai-chan?" asked Genta.

"It basically means that he was lying when he said the presents were fake, we were tricked!" she laughed. "Just like those criminals."

Heiji was faced with a small ambush where he was forced to apologize to everybody. But it was a great first Christmas for Ai Haibara, who finally found a reason to enjoy life.


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Ran's POV

*I can't fight it anymore, I have to write. You don't know how hard it's been to keep from writing for the past twenty four hours. *sigh* How can people give themselves vacations when they have something as addicting as writing a fanfic to do?*

When I came back from school, I was surprised to find Ai-chan smiling as she did her homework, looking like a regular kid. She was even humming a theme song I had heard on TV before. What in the world had happened to her? Didn't she just reproach me for not treating her like a twenty year old this morning?

_Tell me I'm not hallucinating, Shinichi, _I pleaded.

_I'm pretty sure it's real, _he said slightly sarcastically. _As far as I remember, you're not that kind who has their eyes playing tricks on them._

"Good afternoon, Ran-neechan!" she grinned at me, her eyes lit up, and it was like she was a different person completely. "I hope you enjoyed your day!" Was that actual enthusiasm I heard?

"Um, yeah," I managed to stutter out. "It was pretty good."

_I was expecting her to spit poison at you when you got back. I think something happened. You don't think she happened to swallow a bottle of lead paint during class or something, right? _Shinichi's surprised and almost frightened voice made me laugh. He sounded so silly, like a little kid. I laughed, and Ai-chan's look told me she _knew_ that I was laughing about Shinichi, but she kept on smiling. What could have possibly happened that made her attitude turn 180 degrees?

"Did you have a good day, Ai-chan?" I asked curiously. "Did you make any friends?"

"Yeah!" The ice in her eyes was now a warm lake. Pleasant and welcoming instead of horrible and cold. "You know Ayumi-chan? I became friends with her and Mitsuhiko-kun and Genta-kun today! They also asked if I can go camping with them during the weekend over the weekend, can I, Ran-neechan?" Ran-_neechan. _Okay, now she seriously was acting like a little kid. Was making friends all that it took to make her this happy?

"It's perfectly fine, it's not like I have something for you to do. And, er, um…" I broke off, not wanting to ask a question that would tick her off. As I far as I knew, that happened much too easily. But the past five minutes had already contradicted everything, hadn't it? "Are you really this happy over it?" I braced myself for the explosion. I shouldn't have even expected a snarl.

"Ran-neechan, you were right, making friends is the best!" She was cheering now.

_Shinichi, I think something's wrong with her. Something really, _really, _wrong. What about you?_

_Definitely. It must be that poison she took. Turning into a child must have affected her brain too,_ he started chuckling. _Well, better happy than miserable, don't you think?_

There was a knock on the door. And a childish voice called, "Can we come in?"

"I'm coming." Three elementary students were standing outside.

"Can Ai-chan play?" asked the girl. "We're going to go to the field to play soccer!" I was guessing that these were her friends. They looked like pretty nice kids.

"Ai-chan, your friends want you!" Ai-chan ran to the door, nearly colliding into Ayumi-chan. She didn't mind, I bet they were all like that. They started running down the staircase without warning. "I want you back by five thirty, okay?" I hoped she heard that. I'd finished my homework, maybe I'd call Kazuha-chan…

I leaped onto my bed, bouncing a couple times as I found her in my contacts. I probably could have just walked for fifteen minutes to get to Shinichi's house, but I was too lazy to. After all, it wasn't like there was something important to talk about.

The phone rang three times before she answered. "Ran-chan, is Heiji with you?" Her voice was worried and frantic. Very worried and frantic.

"No, why?" I asked. A hint of fear on the edge of my voice.

_Don't tell me that Hattori kid got himself into trouble again… _Shinichi sounded exasperated, but I knew he was serious. He was hot-headed and impulsive. Look how easily he threw himself willingly into an explosion just so he could try to solve part of a case.

"He said he left something behind during class, and for me to head back myself! But it's been over half an hour, and he hasn't answered any of my calls. Can you help me look for him at the school?" I heard the meaning behind her voice. The dread. _Did they get him? _

"I'll be right over, just let me write a note for my dad." Grabbing the notepad, I quickly scribbled the words, _With Kazuha-chan, I'll be back in a bit! _Dad was off investigating a case, or so he said. Most likely, he was playing Mahjong.

"I'm on my way!" The line cut off, and I ran down the stairs. Shinichi was silent, but I knew he was frustrated that he couldn't do anything. That he couldn't find Hattori himself and prove he wasn't in danger. To have a body, to be able to do something as simple as running. He used to be a famous detective, invincible and strong in my eyes. A skilled soccer player, a genius, a Sherlock Holmes addict, a person with a future, now he was just Shinichi. Just plain old Shinichi Kudo. The guy who was murdered three weeks ago.

What if Hattori-kun was about to meet the same fate?

*Author's comment: What happened to Hattori? If you wait just a little bit, you'll find out. Oh, by the way, Kaito's coming back soon. And Hakuba has a big surprise waiting for him. I can't wait to write it! Please review! ~Aeyra*


	28. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Kazuha's POV

*Did anyone want a POV from Kazuha? Well if you did, here it is. What really happened to Heiji?*

Heiji said he'd be back in a couple of minutes. He'd said that. But thirty minutes had already come and gone. I had called him multiple times, and he didn't answer once. Not once. Just hearing his voice would be enough to calm me down…

My phone started vibrating, and my happy ringtone emanated throughout the room. Could it be Heiji? I looked at the caller ID and was disappointed. It wasn't Heiji, it was Ran-chan. I almost didn't pick it up, but I knew that Ran-chan might be able to help me find Heiji. He might even be at her house right now.

"Ran-chan, is Heiji with you?" I blurted out the moment I picked it up, the stress on my nerves causing me to freak out.

"No, why?" she replied hesitantly, with a small hint of fear in her voice. I didn't want to make her as scared as I was, maybe Heiji just slow. Ran into a case. _Stop hyperventilating, Kazuha,_ I told myself. _Calm down._

"He said he left something behind during class, and for me to head back myself! But it's been over half an hour, and he hasn't answered any of my calls," I answered as calmly as I possibly could. But even I couldn't fool myself. "Can you help me look for him at the school?"

"I'll be right over," she promised. "Just let me write a note for my dad." _Hurry up, please Ran. _"Okay." I heard the slamming of a door. "I'll be right over." I hit the end button, and went out the front door to wait for Ran. She was quite fast, it took her only four minutes for the usual fifteen minute walk. But of course, she wasn't taking a leisure stroll.

"Come on, Kazuha," she panted. "You said we were checking the school first, didn't you?"

I nodded, and we both broke into a sprint. I hoped Heiji wasn't in danger. I could already imagine him laughing at me for being such an idiot. _Baka! Can't you tell I'm okay? _He would be doubled over, and making fun of me. And I was looking forward to it. If it happened.

The Teitan High School sign was a blur as we rushed passed it and charged into our classroom moments later. It was empty. No Heiji, no anybody. _Oh no…_ But there wasn't any sign of a ruckus. No desks out of place, no blood on the ground. Where was Heiji?

"I think we should ask around and see if any of the teachers have seen Hattori-kun," suggested Ran.

There were only a few teachers left at the school, and one of them was Jodie-sensei. She might have seen Heiji.

"Oh, Hattori?" she answered. "He picked up his things. We got caught up in a little… conversation if you will. You probably missed him on the way here." Her eyes sparkled in a bright, devious way. Her smile was mysterious, and I couldn't even tell if she was telling the truth. Shouldn't I trust my teacher's word? "Well, I'll see you two tomorrow!" Great, English.

"Thank you, Jodie-sensei," said Ran for me. "We'll go check now." She grabbed my hand and pulled. "Come on, move, Kazuha-chan."

"Okay." There was something really strange about Jodie-sensei. She was hiding something from us.

"I wondered where you two were!" called Heiji when we got back. "Sheesh, you scared me, I got home and you weren't here."

"_I _scared _you!_" I accused him. "I thought that Organization got you or something. You were taking so long, and you didn't answer any of my calls, and-"

"You called me?" He took his cell phone out of his pocket. "My cell's battery is dead. I forgot to charge it last night. My bad!" He smiled sheepishly. "I just noticed something strange about Jodie-sensei and I asked her about it all!"

"What was strange?" I asked him.

"Well, I was getting my stuff, and I saw Jodie-sensei looking at all these pictures. They were pictures of men in black, Kudo, and a woman that looks a hell lot like that Haibara girl."

"What?" Ran sounded shocked. I was stunned too; I knew something was off about Jodie-sensei.

"She told me who she really was in order to make sure I didn't suspect her of being a bad guy or something. She's a member of the FBI, but don't tell anybody. She's in Japan to try and catch that Organization. I told her I was after them too, and she's helping us now. We've got a huge force on our side now." His smile reached from ear to ear. "It won't be long before we put those guys behind bars!"

"That's great, Hattori-kun," breathed Ran. She sounded excited and upset at the same time.

"By the way, where is that Haibara girl, shouldn't she be with you?" asked Heiji, looking around trying to find her.

"She's playing soccer with her friends."

"That girl made friends?" exclaimed Heiji.

"Heiji, that's mean!" I scolded him. Big sister Kazuha was back.

"Hey, I'm just being honest. She was like Medusa this morning. I just looked in her eyes and I thought I turned to stone. Besides, she was all, 'I don't need any friends' too," he defended himself.

"Hm? What's this?" Ran picked up a newspaper off of a table. I couldn't see the headline.

"Oh, I got that on the way back from school. Pretty big, huh?" His eyes lit up. "I never expected that!"

"Expected what, Heiji?" I peeked over Ran's shoulder. **Kaitou Kid's Identity has finally been revealed! The High School Thief is now on the Run. Thanks to Hakuba Saguru!**

_Everybody has always wanted to know who Kaitou Kid is. Now we do. Just this morning, Kaitou Kid was revealed to be high school student, Kuroba Kaito. Unfortunately, he narrowly escaped from the police that were set up around the school. If you see him, report it to the police immediately!_

Little did we know that we just gained an important future ally.

*Author's Comment: *Shock!* Kaitou Kid's been revealed? How? Well, you'll just have to wait for the next chapter, which will most likely come out tomorrow or something. Thanks for reading! Review if you liked the chapter!*


	29. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Kaito's POV

I'd been running all day. Hour after hour of ceaseless running. Those damn police were still right behind me, waiting for my stamina to run out. I was running out of tricks. I'd used up all of the ammo in my card gun, all of my smoke bombs, and my hang glider was useless when I couldn't reach a high area. The only thing I had left was my crafty mind.

I was dressed as Kid, after all, my greatest tricks had been stored in the hat and cape. While Kuroba Kaito could blend into a crowd, all the police would recognize me. Disguises took time, time I didn't have. The only option was hiding whenever I had the chance. I ran into an abandoned alley and dived into a trash can. Moments later, I heard the police run past.

How had it possibly have come to this? A Phantom Thief should be flashy, showy, flamboyant, not diving in a dirty, smell pile of junk. Just this morning, I was that kind of thief. Just this morning, I'd been free…

"_Good morning, Kaito!" called Aoko, as she walked cheerfully into class. Everything was normal, just like every other day._

"_Hey Aoko!" I had answered back, still normal. Still normal. _

"_Kaito, Kid returned the Blue Summer yesterday!" she informed me. "He said he didn't need it again. I wonder what he really wants." _He wants a gem called Pandora,_ I thought._

"_That's quite an interesting question," interrupted Hakuba, who had abruptly appeared beside us. "Maybe you should ask Kaitou Kid himself." He grabbed my arm and pulled me out of my seat. _

"_What the hell are you doing?" I yelled, trying to shake him off. That's where everything started spiraling out of control._

"Check the alley again!" _Get back into reality, Kaito! You have to keep on running! _I hopped out of the trashcan, and continued my escape. It truly was cat and mouse now. And I, the mouse, was trapped into a corner. My home must be filled with police waiting for my return. I needed a place that no one would ever guess of. Somewhere, somewhere!

An old newspaper lay on the ground in front of me. **High School Detective Hattori Heiji suspects the Murder of Kudo Shinichi was done by Organization. **Well, I might just have information on just that Organization. Wasn't that what Akako had hinted, just a couple of weeks before? Maybe that was what-? The footsteps were getting closer, and I realized I had stopped.

"Get him!" They leaped at me, and I quickly dodged their grasps, taking off once again farther down the street. People jumped away as I raced past them, but even I knew that I wasn't invincible. Kaitou Kid had weaknesses too.

A pair of hands grabbed me, and pulled me into an alley. It took all of the control I had not to scream from the shock. "Shhh…" said a familiar voice. "It's me, Kaito." Nearly black eyes, dark brown purplish hair.

"A-Akako?" I stuttered out. Why was she here?

"I'm here to help you." She took out a jeweled necklace. There was a dark blue diamond on the end, and it was surrounded by a circle of feathers. "I put a spell on this. It'll keep you running." She placed on my neck, and instantly, I felt a lot less tired.

"Thank you so much," I panted gratefully. "Is there anything you want me to do for you?" I was still a gentleman, that part wouldn't change.

"Just don't let yourself get captured, okay?" she pleaded, the black in her eyes actually looking gentle. "That's the only thing I never want to happen. I don't want to see you caught."

"Kaitou Kid never went down this alleyway, 'kay?" She nodded, and I continued. There were no police on the next street, or the next, or the next. It was safe to turn into Kuroba Kaito. Changing into my school uniform, I raced into the nearest tall building, running up to the rooftop where I would be able to use my hang glider. The sky was definitely safe…

"_What the hell are you doing?" I yelled, trying to shake him off._

"_Catching a phantom thief of course. Kuroba-kun, no, Kaitou Kid." I heard the gasps from all around the room, and then absolute silence._

"_Are you kidding me, there's no way I could be Kaitou Kid!" I tried to laugh him off of it, but I was fully aware of the danger, and how it was useless to try. "I was with you while he stole Blue Summer. You must have eaten something funny for breakfast, Hakuba!"_

"_You might not have noticed, but while Kaitou Kid stole the jewel, I placed a very small transmitter to your cape. I've been tracking it, and there's no doubt that it's you." He pulled out a small black device, with small symbols on it. "This is our classroom, and this is where Kaitou Kid happens to be. Right next to me, what do have to say about that?"_

"_Maybe he put it on me!" I defended myself. "That guy's pretty sneaky you know, it's just a coincidence."_

"_And then the hair he left behind a while ago. A couple of weeks ago, I managed to get a sample of yours. They match. Any excuse there? After all, you weren't at _that _heist, were you?" he accused._

"_I- I went to that museum earlier that day to see the jewel that Kid was about to steal." I was running out of my pitiful excuses. "I'm a pretty big fan of him."_

"_Explain this." He reached into my sleeve and pulled my Kid costume. Solid evidence. "Now tell me why you carry this on you." It was the end of the game, end of my acting._

"_It's because you're right." I snatched back my costume, and quickly changed into it. "I am Kaitou Kid."_

The hang glider was getting me away from the police that were barred from my realm. The open sky. Getting a helicopter took time, but I could escape something as clumsy as that. The only problem would be landing. The police cars could move faster than a hang glider that could only move in the direction of the wind. The air whirled around me, and I looked up. It was Hakuba, in a helicopter.

"I'm not as stupid to not plan ahead, Kaito," he called over the blaring noise of the rotors. "You're definitely going down today."

"Not without a fight I'm not," I answered, pointing the hang glider straight down. It was risky, but I knew how to fly.

"Oy! Kaito!" he screamed, but I pulled up just inches away from the ground. Hakuba wasn't on the ground, which gave me an advantage. He had almost caught me for the second time today.

_Hakuba grabbed my arm, and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. "Thanks for the confession, Kaito. Once you're safely in jail, I'm going to make you tell me why."_

"_It's not ending this quickly!" I put my hand on my card gun, and shot at the handcuffs. They were pinned to the wall._

"_Someone help me get the windows!" he ordered. "The police are already around the school!" _Dammit, _I thought. _What now, Kaito?

"_Kaito," I heard Aoko say. Her expression was sad, and full of denial. "This is a practical joke, right? You're not Kaitou Kid, you can't be! Please tell me no!"_

"_That would be lying, wouldn't it?" I said, trying to make her understand that this _was_ reality. "I'm sorry, Aoko. I hope that one day you'll be able to forgive me."_

"_Baka Kaito!" she cried. "Just make sure you give me that one day. I don't want to see you in prison. Run, now!" She headed to one of the windows, and unlocked it. I hopped onto the ledge, and gave her a silent thanks._

"_What are you doing, Nakamori-san?" screamed Hakuba. "Don't let him go!"_

"_Aoko," I whispered, as Hakuba raced towards us. "I just want you to know I'll miss you. Thanks for your help." I threw a pink smoke bomb, and I vanished on my pristine white hang glider. Or, a dummy did. I had actually went out of the classroom door. The chase had begun_

I really needed to think about where I should go. Somewhere safe, with somebody I could trust. **Hattori Heiji**. I could see the headlines once again, but why that name? Could my subconscious be trying to tell me something?

"It's me, Akako," her voice came once again. "I think the magic on the jewel is wearing off. Head for the Kudo residence. There are people who can help you." Her voice was fading fast. "They live at…" It broke off. _Perfect timing, you stupid jewel_, I thought.

_Think, think, think, Kaito! _I'd seen the address somewhere before. _You can remember this! _And suddenly, I had it. _Beika, Niteime, 21__st__ Banchi!_

My legs were beginning to feel like lead. It was at least at thirty minute run, and Akako's present had already lost power. Could I make it there? I had to, it was my only chance.

I managed to shake off the police, and Hakuba was nowhere to be seen. I could do it, I could reach the house. I could see it now, the haven of promised safety. I had nearly reached the door, when I realized I didn't have any energy left. My throat was burning from thirst, my stomach was aching for food, and I overheating like mad. I fainted, with nowhere to escape.

*Author's Comment: I have no idea what Hakuba calls Aoko, so if you know, please tell me. What did you think? Was it a good chapter? I spent a ton of time planning this one chapter in my head, and I had a lot of fun writing it. However, there are probably a lot of holes since I didn't read Magic Kaito very thoroughly. (does finishing 28 chapters in half in hour sound thorough?) If I feel like it, I might go back and edit this chapter. I hope everybody had a wonderful Christmas! Thank you so much for reading! Please review! They make me want to update more! (and no bashing plz, or at least sugarcoat it first!)*


	30. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Heiji's POV

"Drat! It's almost dinnertime! I've got to get back now, Hattori-kun, or else my dad'll be worried about me!" Mouri frantically grabbed her things and took off towards the door. She and Kazuha had been attacking me with question after question about the specifics of Jodie-sensei. I didn't want to tell too much, so I just said that she had back-up, and a secret double agent in the society. No names given. She didn't even tell me.

"_Too risky," she said, with a slight smile on her face. "It's already hard enough as it is. But I trust you, Hattori-kun. I think you might be able to help us-for real." _

Hm, for real, eh? I wondered what in the world that meant.

"Oh my gosh!" Ran screamed from the front door. "Are you okay?" I ran to the front door to find her trying to revive a boy who had collapsed on the porch. He had messy dark brown hair, and was covered in sweat. And that face…. It couldn't be. The boy opened his eyes, and uttered one word.

"Help."

"Kazuha, Mouri!" I ordered. "Help me get this kid into the house. He'll need food and water." The boy looked truly exhausted, like he had been running all day. There was also a strange jewel around his neck, was it a lucky charm or something?

We settled him on the couch, and Kazuha prepared a simple chicken broth. He accepted it gratefully, but he still wasn't well enough to talk coherently. Whenever he tried to talk, he would start coughing and he was also running a very, very high fever. "Heiji, do you think he's okay?"

"He'll be fine," I assured her. "Just a little bit of rest, and food, and he'll be fine. Then, I can ask him some questions."

"Don't you think we should get a doctor?" Mouri was kind of fidgeting in the corner of the room, torn between staying and looking after the mysterious teenager or heading back home.

"No doctors. This kid'll end up in prison if we do that," I uttered without thinking.

"Prison?" exclaimed Kazuha. "Wait, what did he do?" _Drat, _I thought. _Great going Heiji, now there's no way you're going to be able to go through this secretly!_

"Doesn't his face remind you of someone who's been headlining on the papers this morning?" I hinted, watching their faces light up with understanding.

"You-you don't mean he's-" stuttered Mouri, mouth gaping.

"Kaito Kuroba. Better known as the internationally wanted criminal Kaitou Kid." I looked down at him, and he seemed to be nodding.

"That's me alright." His voice was extremely hoarse, and it croaked more than a couple of times. "But don't turn me in just yet, tantei-kun. I can help you with that syndicate of yours."

Syndicate? Oh, he meant Organization. Wait a second! How the heck would he know about that? I had only mentioned it as a stinking theory during the interview. Since then, I'd been trying to deny it. Didn't want to end up like Kudo.

"What can you do?" Mouri's voice was guarded, and accusing. He flinched, and then visibly relaxed, chuckling.

"I want to stop them as well. I have a friend, who's kind of a witch-like, real magic, no joke- who told me we were after the same thing. Eight years ago, my father was killed in what seemed like a stage accident. He was a world famous magician known as Kuroba Toichi. Have you heard of him before?"

Mouri nodded vigorously. "Shinichi and I saw his show once when his dad brought us. He was amazing. Shinichi's dad was shocked when he died."

"Kudo Yuusaku was one of his best friends." The boy's eyes seemed to water up a bit at the thought of his late father. "But it wasn't a stage accident, it was a murder! Those stinking bastards killed him, just because he wouldn't steal something for them!" His voice became raised, and I felt so bad for him.

"Steal what?" asked Kazuha cautiously.

"It's a gem called Pandora," he sounded calmer, and trusting. "In the presence of a certain comet, it will cry tears, and whoever drinks those tears will become immortal. It's inside another gem, and it's pretty hard to see. The only way to know if it's Pandora is to hold to the light of the full moon. If it turns red, then you've found it."

"I know you're trying to save your skin here," I started. "But why are you trusting us so much already?"

"Because I honestly want to help." He stood up, and he was actually a little bit taller than me. "With a celebrity like Kid on your side, you could lure them out much more easily if you wanted to. All I need is Pandora. And revenge of course." His blue eyes were determined, and showed no trace of doubt.

"You can help, but will they seriously show up if you stole Pandora?" I asked. Why did I believe him so fast? Well, if you've been pushed into a case where reality isn't what it's supposed to be, you're going to have to believe fantastic stories. And this kid… well… I could tell if he was lying. Maybe.

"If I flaunt it in their faces. That would be the moment to lure a couple of them out." He snickered. "After all, Kid is quite the enemy in their eyes." He spun around, and instantly he was dressed in a white tux and cape. I was surprised, but I didn't let it show.

"But your identity's been exposed! Wouldn't they put the people around you in danger now?" Did he even know that it be like this?

"That's why I'll have to do it fast. Otherwise, Aoko will be-" he broke off, unwilling to continue.

"Who's Aoko?" Kazuha gently pryed. Her eyes were filled with sympathy.

"The girl I left behind. I promised I wouldn't be caught when that damn detective brat exposed me right before class started." He was angry again, but he showed nearly no trace on his face. As I looked at him inquisitively, he answered my unspoken question. "It's called a Poker Face. The most important magic trick of all. Don't let the emotions show." He pointed to his smothered grin, and confident eyes. "I should teach you sometime." He started coughing again, and doubled over.

"You're not in any condition for that right now." I pushed him back onto the couch, he didn't attempt to resist. "We're not going to turn you in. But that's all I'll promise for now. I'm still not completely sure about you." He smiled, and turned away from us.

"I knew coming here would be a good idea." In a couple of seconds he was snoring, still dressed as Kaitou Kid.

A knock from the door drew our attention away from Kid. "You left the door unlocked," Haibara's voice rang out, trying to sound uncaring, but it the little trace of happiness was still evident. She walked in before any of us had a chance to stop her. "Why the hell is Kaitou Kid here?"


	31. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

*Author's Note: I'm going to try a third-person view for the first time. Someone tell me whether they prefer third-person or first-person cuz they're the same to me. It's just a bit hard to think of which person to do each time.*

A small tea-haired girl stared hostilely at the teenager dressed in a white tux on the couch. She recognized him from the news and television. A fearless smile, she could see them even if he was sleeping. Kaitou Kid.

"Why the hell is Kaitou Kid here?" she snarled, good mood vanishing. The others in the room froze, as if turned to stone by her icy glare.

"Ah, Ai-chan," said Ran, fear in her voice. "Maybe we should go back home for dinner now-" She tried to push the small girl out of the room, but it was no use.

"Tell me why he's here now!" The teenager on the couch woke up startled. He stared at her for less than a second before recoiling.

"W-who's that?" He sat up and tried to back up, but there's only so much you can back up while you're on a couch.

"Ai-chan, this is Kuroba Kaito-kun," Kazuha introduced her, managing to keep a smile on her face. "He's been through a tough time today, so maybe we could save this for tomorrow…"

"No," she replied stubbornly as ever.

"Fine, Haibara. This guy's Kaitou Kid-well, I mean, look at his outfit- and he's going to help us with this case. He's got a grudge against them too, and he's willing to be the bait." Hattori-kun finally gave her the answer she'd been waiting for.

"What kind of grudge?" she asked suspiciously, remembering her own. _Akemi…_

"His dad was killed eight years ago by those guys. And he's trying to lure them out by stealing a gem they want. Says it'll grant the owner immortality or something along those lines. It's called Pandora, have you ever heard of it?"

The girl froze, remembering something a long, long time ago. _"Nee-chan," the little girl said happily. "Can you tell me a story?"_

"_What kind do you want, Shiho?" The dark browned hair girl smiled back warmly. _

"_Something exciting!" _Poor girl, _thought Akemi. _She doesn't even know what she'll become. I hope this innocence lasts long…

"_I'll tell you about a magical jewel, it's called Pandora. A long, long, time ago, god put a spell on the gem…"_

_The story went on and on about a prince and a princess, and other things that made the little girl squeal with delight. "Is it real?"_

"_Maybe, Shiho." The older girl patted her on the head. "Maybe."_

"Ai-chan! Ai-chan!" Someone called her back into reality. Long brown hair and caring blue eyes. _Akemi? _Her eyes lit up with hope, and then it faded when she realized it was only Ran. "Do you remember anything?"

"My sister told me a nonsense story about it once, and she hardly mentioned anything about it ever since. But I remembered hearing the words 'ultimate goal' and 'Devil's Rock'." Her voice was shaking. Any thought of Akemi threatened to bring tears with it.

"Devil's Rock?" asked Kaito curiously. Had he heard of it before? It sounded like a jewel, could it be Pandora?

"It's a red diamond," Ai informed him. "But it's the color of blood, Akemi said it was really rare. Pandora was supposed to be inside of it, but nobody even knows where the Devil's Rock is, so they kind of gave up on most of it. There are a couple people still working on it, but not the hundreds there used to be. Science is where they're looking now." She looked at her hands, the hands that had been working towards immortality. But you don't get immortality without a couple of deaths first.

"I've seen a jewel like that before!" exclaimed Kaito. "In Dad's chest! It's around this big, and it's kind of shaped like a sphere." He cupped his hands to the size of an apple. "Is that about right?" His voice was filled with excitement, suddenly, his goal wasn't that far away.

"I think that's what she said." The small girl frowned, and looked back up at the thief. "How did you end up here anyways?"

"My identity was revealed this morning," he said, embarrassed. "By a stupid detective named Hakuba Saguru. No offense to detectives of course." Heiji's slightly angry face calmed down.

"I see," commented Ai uncaringly. "I hope you haven't told him too much. At least not without asking me. We're all in this together you know."

A question mark was almost visible over the head of Kaito, who stared confused at the little girl. He had finally realized that this was a _elementary _school kid that was giving out all of the orders. Accusing him, scaring the heck out of everyone. Who in the world was she?

"Of course not!" said Heiji angrily. "I don't trust him that much yet. Hmph!" He turned up his chin arrogantly, almost childishly. Ai started laughing at him. "What's so funny?"

"You, Heiji," explained Kazuha. Then she looked down at the little girl. "It's great to see you laughing, Ai-chan." She patted the little girl on the head, even though she obviously didn't like it.

"What secrets?" asked Kaito, curiously. He wanted to know what was with that little girl. That strange, mysterious, scary little girl. But there was no one willing to give them to him.

"You'll know sooner or later," smirked Heiji. He knew that with this boy's intelligence, he'd be able to figure it out in no time at all. Kaitou Kid was renowned for his quick wits and amazing memory after all.

"No fair!" he whined, looking like a depressed child. Then he sighed, and pulled a dove out of thin air. "I'm not about to betray you guys, and you're not about to turn me in. I've honestly told you everything that I know, specific details excluded, so you owe me a couple of tidbits, don't you think?" The dove settled on his shoulder, and he patted it gently.

Heiji stared at Ran, and then at Ai. They both gave him a slight nod. Kaito was right, they needed to get him on the same page if he was going to help them. "Listen here, Kuroba. What I'm going to tell you will sound weird. Beyond weird. But you're going to have to believe me, okay?" Kaito nodded his head, eager to hear the story. "Do you want to start with the little girl, or Mouri?"

"The little girl please," he answered, looking at Ai. Her cold gaze gave nothing as usual. Her poker face was just as good as his. It just wasn't right.

"Then you'll have to know she's not really a kid named Ai Haibara. She's twenty year old scientist Shiho Miyano, A.K.A. Sherry of the Black Organization." He watched Kaito's expression, but he just kept the same lofty grin the entire time.

"Go on, I'm waiting." His eyes sparkled, and he showed no surprise. After all, it was weirder to think that this girl was seven or six or something anyways.

"She got turned into a little kid when she swallowed the drug she made to commit suicide after her sister was killed." Heiji tried to summarize it, but Kaito looked a little bit confused. "Look, her sister was killed because she was a weak link in the chain. Then she tried to kill herself with an apoptoxin called APTX4869, it didn't work and she became Ai Haibara, it's a name we made up for her. She's on our side now. She knows a lot about those guys."

"I see," said Kaito, carefully controlling his voice. This girl was one of those bastards who killed his father. _Calm down, Kaito! She's not one of them anymore. _

"Now for Mouri's story," continued Heiji. "Perhaps it would be better if she told you. I have a hard time getting my head around it anyways."

"You've heard of Shinichi Kudo, right?" Ran asked. "The high school detective who was murdered a couple of weeks ago?" Kaito nodded, it had been big talk in his school. "He was my best friend, and I liked him. A lot. But I don't actually miss him that much." His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "He's still with me."

_Is this girl delusional? _He thought, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"I'm not joking. He's in my head, talking to me. It helps a lot, thanks to him we knew about all of this. How he was killed, and a start about who killed him. It doesn't matter if you believe me or not, just, trust Shinichi when he needs you to listen." Kaito was instantly reminded of Aoko. Would she be like this, or would she just pick up a broom? He had been shocked when she had acted so gently when he'd been exposed. She hated Kid, so why in the world…?

"Okay, I got it now." Kaito smiled, looking like he did at a heist. "Everything's out. They also know exactly who Kaitou Kid is. We have to hurry with everything, or it'll all be over. For me at least," he admitted. That syndicate weren't too suspicious of these guys, but Aoko could be in danger. "I'm taking Devil's Rock tonight," he announced, as if there was a huge audience in front of him. "Get me paper and a pen, tantei-kun, don't want to leave the police unexpecting." Then he laughed. "Kind of funny isn't it? I'm robbing my own house."


	32. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

*Author's Note: Since nobody answered my 'do you prefer 1st or 3rd person view question, I'm continuing 3rd. It just makes more since anyways. I can't think of a clever heist note, so I'm skipping it. I'm sorry for making the characters act out of character. I don't really get how the Magic Kaito characters act anyways.*

Hakuba clenched his fist in frustration as he watched Kaitou Kid-no Kaito Kuroba- disappear into the crowded streets, at least a hundred feet below him. He had been so close to catching him, only to watch him escape his grasp once again. _Dammit, _he thought angrily. _So close… But at least I have him cornered now. He's got nowhere to run. No home, and by morning, his face will be known as a criminal's. The only problem is the overwhelming number of Kid fans out there… _He sighed, proving his identity was only step one in catching the Phantom Thief.

"Where's the closest place we can land here?" he asked the pilot, looking out the open door of the helicopter. There were several clear rooftops, but he wasn't very experienced with helicopters. He usually operated from the ground only. The sky was Kid's territory.

"There's a landing spot just a couple of minutes away, Hakuba-kun," answered the pilot quickly, handing the blonde a map. "It's this one, right here." He pointed to a small, but noticeable H. "It's right next to the harbor, is that okay with you?" The blonde looked for other perhaps more convenient and practical options, but with Kuroba

"As long as it takes me down to the ground." He surveyed his surroundings once again, as if the eye-catching white hang glider would suddenly appear in front of him. No such luck.

"Inspector Nakamori!" he called out to the officer who was waiting for him on the port. The police car was empty save two officers. "Did you catch him?" Like he even needed to ask. Since when did those bumbling idiots ever get a job done right?

"He got away, we lost track of him when he entered Beika. Unfortunately, it would take forever to search and you need warrants if you want to check houses. For all we know, he's boarded a plane and is heading for Osaka or someplace." Nakamori let out a weary sigh. "Never thought it would be Kaito-kun. I trusted the kid, didn't think he'd be a Phantom Thief. Known him almost my whole life, wonder what made him do this. What am I going to say to Aoko?" he said to no one in particular. He didn't sound like the usual '_I'm going to catch that bastard Kid!'_ But he reminded Hakuba of something he had forgotten about.

_Aoko, _thought the blonde almost fearfully. There had been hurt on her face as he proclaimed the truth in front of everybody, there was horror in her eyes as he was about to handcuff Kaito, and she had been the one that disobeyed him to set Kaito free. He had screamed at her for being so stupid. How could she let Kid go? Caught up in the heat of the chase, he hadn't stayed to watch her reaction. He wished he did.

He looked at his watch, hoping that there was still time left in class. _Luck just isn't on my side today, is it?_ Clearing his throat, he approached Inspector Nakamori. "Would it be okay if I accompanied you on your way home? I need to apologize to Aoko for something."

"What did you do to her?" he replied suspiciously. "Nothing _improper_, right?"

"Of course not, Inspector. It's just that I upset her when I told everybody that Kuroba-kun was Kid, that's all. I want to see how she's taking it." His light blue eyes showed true concern for the Inspector's daughter. Kaito was Aoko's best friend, she definitely needed somebody to help her up again.

"You can go," said Nakamori, with slight hesitation. "I can't come with you just yet though. You know how to get to the house, right?" Hakuba nodded. He might have visited only once, but his amazing memory and serious crush on Aoko made recalling the location a piece of cake.

A knock on the door sent Aoko back to reality. She'd been completely out of it since Kaito had left her, since she discovered that he was her hated Kaitou Kid. But some part of her had known all along, so she was still willing to help him escape, and she was willing to forgive him. She wished he had told him the truth earlier, but you just couldn't change the past. _Will I ever see Kaito again?_ She thought desperately. She didn't think she'd miss him this much. Her idiot magician. Her best friend. The guy she liked. He never heard her say that, did he?

"Aoko," called a familiar voice. But it wasn't the one she wanted to hear, she muffled her ears in an attempt to block out the sound. "Aoko, are you there?" That boy had revealed the truth and because of him, Kaito wasn't going to come back, unless he was behind bars. She didn't want to open the door; she didn't want to see Hakuba-kun's face. "Please, Aoko. Please open the door." The voice was so full of desperation and longing that she couldn't ignore it any longer.

Slowly, she picked herself up, off of the tearstained couch she had been lying on since school ended. The teacher had tried to continue class as usual, but no one had paid any attention at all. No one had suspected that the fun mischievous Kaito had been Kid. Wiping her eyes, she answered the door. "Hakuba-kun, why are you here?" His face wasn't bragging as she thought it would be, even when she heard his voice. Instead, it was filled with regret and sorrow, a face she'd never seen before. Suddenly, she was afraid she sounded too accusing.

"I'm sorry, Aoko," he whispered. This wasn't like him, he was supposed to be sure of himself. Instead, he seemed to be-what was the word? - so unconfident. "I didn't for all of this to happen. I'm sorry that I hurt you."

"What do you mean?" she asked. "I'm perfectly fine!" _What is there to get him so upset? Why does he look so sad? Poor Hakuba-kun. _But it was too hard to forget he was the reason that Kaito wasn't here. Why Kaito would never be able to show his real face again without ending up in prison.

"You're not, just look at you." He gestured to her tear-streaked face, her messed up hair, and her red eyes. "I had several reasons for turning in Kuroba-kun. Some of them were good reasons. He was a criminal, and I had to give him justice. But one of them was jealousy." He looked down at his feet, was that blush she saw on his cheeks. "He had you, and, I wanted to be him. I thought, maybe if he was gone then you would just forget about him. But that won't happen. I can see it in your eyes." He looked up at her, saw shock, surprise, and was it anger? "This time, I have to ask myself why I did this. It feels criminal."

"Hakuba-kun," she started, not knowing where to continue. He waited patiently for her answer, even if it involved pain. "Look, I appreciate your apology but I can't accept it. Kaito was my best friend and everything. I know what he did wasn't right, but some part of me knew the entire time so he's nearly completely forgiven in my book. I know it's your job to catch thieves being a detective and all, but I can't forgive you. I know it isn't right and I'm sorry about that, Hakuba-kun. Can you please leave?" He looked at her one last time. Then he left. She was alone, once again. _Kaito, why did you have to be Kid?_ _*********************************************************************************************_

Inspector Nakamori ran right into Hakuba, who wasn't paying attention as he walked down the street. Nakamori was about to tell him off for not paying attention when he noticed something wasn't right about the detective. He looked sad and rejected. "Hakuba-kun, what's wrong?"

"I apologized to Aoko. She said she wouldn't forgive me," he admitted, trying to keep emotion out of his voice. Nakamori looked sympathetic, but there was nothing he could do to force his daughter to forgive him. He probably wouldn't believe it even he did succeed.

"Just give her some time," he suggested. "It's probably been a hard day for her and I know that she'll want to fight this herself." But he knew he was kidding himself. Aoko had always been stubborn, and she would be stuck in her own lonely world for a while.

"Doubt it, Inspector." Hakuba shrugged it off. "I'm sorry, but I'm heading back home for tonight. You can call me if something important happens." With that he left, looking even more depressed than before.

_Ring! Ring! Ring! _"Saguru, can you get the phone please?" asked his mother who was cooking dinner. He rose slowly from the table where he had been making up the work he had missed that day.

"Hello, this is Inspector Nakamori," said the voice on the other end. "Can you get me Hakuba-kun."

"Speaking," he answered emotionlessly. What was it now?

"We just got a new notice from Kai- I mean Kid." He had almost said _Kaito._ "No puzzle this time. Let me read the note to you: I'm coming to steal the Devil's Crown, hidden in my own home. I'll be there at 8 o'clock. Don't be late!

~3 Kaitou Kid (pretend there's a symbol.)

"I'm sorry inspector, but I'm not interested today. I don't want to go." His tone was unusually dismissive. What was up with the kid? He just about never refused a Kid heist. Inspector Nakamori didn't really feel much like going either. Kaito had been a good kid. Knowing it was him kind of made him a little regretful and sad. He had known Kaito for years, he never seemed like the thieving type.

"But Hakuba-kun," Nakamori pleaded. It wasn't just about the heist anymore. "Maybe you could get Kaito to just talk to Aoko. He thinks of you as a rival and a friend, I think he'd listen to you. He won't need to throw a show, I haven't released the notice to the press. Heck, I haven't even found what he's about to steal. My men are searching, but there's no jewel in the house." He looked around at the police, still cluelessly looking around the house.

"I said no." His voice was now angry. If he didn't want to go, he didn't want to go. "Good night Inspector!" He hung up before the Inspector got a chance to respond.

"Saguru," scolded his mother. "You shouldn't be so rude. Just because you're in a bad mood doesn't mean that you can talk like that to the inspector." He scowled at her, ice forming in his eyes.

"I betrayed a _friend_ and upset the girl I _love_ today. I don't want to talk to anybody." That's right, Kuroba had been his friend even he was annoying. He had made it all fun, hadn't he? Made trying to catch him exciting, made class more entertaining. What had he been thinking? That was a friend he had gotten rid of. "I'm going to my room." He stomped up the staircase and through the hallways, slamming the door shut.

And Aoko… He had made her cry. He had gotten rid of _her _best friend. _Her_ love. How selfish he had been. Just for one moment of glory he had ruined everything.

"We're going to capture Kid tonight!" declared Inspector Nakamori, but there was no determination behind his voice. "He's coming soon! Team A, handle the roof. Team B, front door. Team C, back door. Team D, guard all windows."

"Yessir!" they answered in unison. As a couple of them passed by Aoko's hiding place, she held her breath until the footsteps had died away. No wonder Kid-no Kaito- always had such an easy time with the police. It was so easy to hide from them.

Pulling herself out of the cramped cabinet, she snuck upstairs to Kaito's room. If there was a jewel somewhere, it had to be here. And if it was in his room, he'd have to pass her to get it.

She was going to see Kaito tonight. She was going to make him answer every single one of her questions. She was going to tell him she loved him no matter what.

*Did you like it? Did you like it? Did you like it? The internet crashed when I finished this chapter, so I went over it about three times and fixed some things, and added new things. If I made them act too out of character, I apologize. I tried my best during my research (/wiki, great website for DC info.) but it's hard to fit a storyline to characters sometimes. As all fellow writers know, a review keeps the motivation coming. So please review this chapter! The next one will be out soon, promise! P.S. Is anyone willing to beta-read my story? I know there's a directory but it's kind of hard to find a DC fan. I don't even care if you're not a real beta-reader, I just want to know if a chapter's good and what it needs. Thanks in advance!*


	33. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Kaito's POV

*A very Happy New Years to everybody! Unfortunately that means it's one of the last days of break! *sniffles* Now I have to wake up early again. And it means I won't be able to write every day. Crap, it's one of my favorite past times. Oh well, onto the chapter!*

From a couple buildings away, I surveyed my strangely subdued target from my night binoculars. One of the items I had thankfully had on my person when I was forced to escape. None of the hubbub that usually followed a Kid heist, of course, I'd never robbed a place like my own home before. There were no blaring helicopters or horde of police cars awaiting my arrival; only a small team of police on the front door and the roof. Even they seemed like they had no will to catch me. As I zoomed in, I noticed that they didn't even have the usual red pinch marks on their faces to prove that they weren't me. So much for my show.

Sighing, I threw myself off of the roof of the house from which I had observed the security, and changed into my flamboyant white suit, complete with hat and cape. Unfortunately, I had hardly any magic tricks left, and it would be a little dangerous to ask Jii for a refill. Didn't want to make him my partner in crime even though he technically was. _Two smoke bombs and some anesthetic gas, it should be sufficient enough, _I thought, as I rechecked my sleeves and hat for tools. I'd used most of them up during the chase where I had played the mouse.

As I slowly approached the front door, I took a quick peep into my room with the binoculars. There was nobody in there_, _was Inspector Nakamori even trying to catch me today? It would be a snap. With a quick flick of my wrist, the anesthetic gas bomb flew out of my grasp and rolled toward the feet of the police 'guarding' the front door. Covering their faces and coughing, they fell down one by one, incapacitated by sleep.

"Sorry 'bout that," I whispered, half-apologetically to the sleeping men. There were a couple of groans in response from the ones who were still trying to resist, but nobody from the inside would even notice. I almost doubted that anybody inside was being attentive. _Man, knowing my identity must have hit the police force hard, I thought. Well, it makes the job a lot easier. I don't even have to be showy today; nobody's even going to bother to watch. _Hopping on the tiny ledge at the top of the door, I gracefully made my way to my bedroom window. The window was unlocked as I had last left it, and with a small push it opened without a noise.

Stepping gently onto the ground, I immediately headed towards the painting of my father, Toichi Kuroba. How it brought back memories. There had been that one day, after a successful magic show…

"_Poker face, what's that?" asked a small boy with unruly hair. His bright childish blue eyes shown with curiosity as he watched his father play cards._

"_It means whether you get a good card, or a bad card, you can't show it no matter what," instructed the older man, who looked nearly exactly like the boy. His face was a mask, impossible to read. "Royal flush." He flashed his winning hand to the men around him. "It's the same with magic, Kaito. Even if your tricks fail, you can't show it no matter what!"_

He had been so much better at that, hiding his emotions and failures. Unlike me, who had lost his poker face under just a little bit of pressure. Damn that Hakuba for being so darn difficult. Not only did I lose my poker face, I changed into Kaitou Kid right there and then. Perhaps I could have stayed free if I hadn't been so stupid and acted on impulse. Maybe Jii could have proved my 'innocence'. But since I had acted so stupid, I had lost everything that made me Kaito Kuroba. On the bright side, I now knew where Pandora was hidden. Dad had kept it with him all along.

There was no place safer. Who would have thought the jewel would already have been owned by the thief himself? By trying again and again to find Pandora, even though he knew it was in his grasp, it had thrown off the syndicate for over eight years. Now I was going to break the jewel out of its safe, and destroy it.

A hand grabbed my foot, and I looked down in response. "Aoko?" I gasped, as I recognized her face, lit up from the bright moonlit streaming from the open window. Why was she here?

"Kaito," she whispered, standing up and facing me. Her eyes were filled with sorrow and longing. _Drat, _I thought. _Come on Kaito! Poker face, poker face! _I was absolutely no good with all the gooey emotions. Ha, a Phantom Thief who can keep a straight face under the constant pressure of a heist couldn't even stand something close to sad puppy dog eyes. "Kaito, I've missed you so much!"

Without warning, she embraced me, and I could feel her warm tears soak through my shirt. I put my arms around her, not sure of what else to do. "Can you really miss me this much? It hasn't even been a day," I commented, trying to ease the situation that I was quickly losing control of. I mean, sure we were best friends, but was there something a little deeper...?

"It's because, it's because," she stuttered, her face turning red as I stared at her embarrassed face, the tears seeming to disappear for just a couple of seconds. She looked so cute and innocent, pretty too. I felt my poker face break as blood raced to my cheeks and making my ears fire up. "It's because I like you, Kaito." Yay. Mushy moments. But somehow, I could feel real joy under my cold, biting sarcasm.

"Me too, Aoko." I was reminded of the crappy TV dramas I made fun of. The real thing was so much harder than I thought it would be. I hoped I didn't sound too cheesy. "I like you too." Lost in the moment, I had nearly forgotten about the heist, and why I was here. But there was no need to worry; I doubted that Nakamori's men would wake up very soon.

Silence filled the room for a couple of minutes, as we both stood there, completely unsure of what to do next. I still held her in my arms, and I could feel from the constant fidgeting of her body that she needed to ask me something. Something important. "Aoko, if you have a question, please say it."

"Kaito," she started, and now she looked half nervous and half angry. "Why did you have to be Kaitou Kid?" There it was. The 'why?' question. How should I answer her? The truth to warn her of the imminent danger, or a lie to comfort her and give a sense of false security? _No Kaito! You have to tell her the truth! She deserves to know that she's in danger! _screamed my inner voice. _Sheesh, I know that. It's just that, if she doesn't like the truth, I don't want to hear what she'll say back to me._

"It started, eight years ago. When Toichi Kuroba was killed onstage." I nervously waited for her reaction. She had been watching his magic show with me when the stage burst into flames, killing my father in the heat and smoke. Her memories of that were bad enough already without telling her it was a murder.

"But, it was a stage accident!" she protested, trying to find to see any trace of a lie in my eyes. When she didn't find it, she murmured quietly, and nearly incoherently, "That's what everybody said."

"Sometimes the general word isn't the truth, Aoko. The truth is that there was-is an Organzation…" I told her about how the Organization killed my father because he knew about them, and refused to help them. I told her about how Jii had taken his place, and then I his to try to lure them out. I told her about how I had followed those men and found out about the properties of Pandora. How it glowed red in the light of the full moon, and how it could cry tears of immortality. She didn't interrupt me once. When I finished, she stood speechless, tears running from her eyes. Were they tears of anger, tears of sadness, or tears of understanding? "So, Aoko, that's why I'm Kaitou Kid. I don't particularly enjoy stealing, just the magic behind it. Being a Phantom Thief was hard, and I wanted to give up it entirely more than once. But my father's important to me, I want to lure those people out and get revenge on them for killing my dad and countless others." I didn't mention Kudo Shinichi.

"Kaito, that's dangerous," she said, concern filling her voice entirely. "You shouldn't involve yourself in this. Your father was already killed, they'll kill you too!" She shook me as if to knock sense into me. "You don't have to be Kaitou Kid anymore." It would probably be best if I listened to her right now, and told everybody that I wasn't being Kid anymore, but that would be as good as betrayal. We were so far.

"It's too late for that, Aoko," I whispered, gently pushing her arms off of my shoulders and feeling no resistance. "They now know my name, and with a teensy bit of effort, they can find everybody with even the smallest connection to me. Don't worry about me, I've got people who can hold my back on this and help me. My only concern is your father, Hakuba, Akako, and you. If you can't give them the information they want, you'll be made hostages." She looked scared, but she nodded. I wondered if she truly understood the real depth of the danger. "You didn't know anything until I told you, so do your best to act as if you still don't know. Pretend you never heard it, that way; you won't be made a threat." But she could still be made a hostage. I wanted to take her away with me, to the safe house. _I'm so selfish, _I thought.

"I'm glad you told me, Kaito." She let a sniffle, but then she smiled, and it was real. "You have a heist to carry out, right? You better get right on it, or else somebody might catch you." Suddenly, the moon was shadowed by a cloud and everything went dark. I could hardly see her face, but I could still see the beautiful sparkle in her now midnight blue eyes. I could feel the strength of the emotion inside of me, mingling with the depth of the love in her eyes. It was a moment so right, so perfect, that the urge to lean forward, and kiss her was almost overwhelming. I stopped myself, knowing the moment of separation would be made even harder if I did. I satisfied myself by hugging her even tighter, and feeling her warm body safe in my arms, even if it was just for a moment.

"I'll try to see you as often as I can," I whispered into her dark brown hair. "Even if it's just at heists." I was glad we were shrouded in the darkness, so she couldn't see the tears that were starting to form. "Promise me you'll be there."

"I will." I could hardly hear her muffled answer. I let go of her slowly, trying to make the moment last as long as it could.

"See you next time, Aoko." My words sounded much more lighthearted than I really felt. I leaned back onto the painting and disappeared. I wonder if she saw me fall, swiftly dropping into the secret room that only Jii and I knew about. My dad's hideout. I knew every nook and cranny since I had taken over the role of Kaitou Kid, so it barely took me seconds before I pulled out the box holding Devil's Crown.

There might have been a key to the chest before, but it wasn't anywhere I searched. How did I know that the Devil's Crown was in here? My dad had showed me, once when I was just a little kid.

"_Do you see this jewel?" My dad opened up the small chest to reveal a beautiful blood red diamond. It sparkled in the light of burning brightly at our dining room table._

"_Wah!" I exclaimed, admiring it. At the time I only felt it was extraordinary because it was 'pretty'. "Can I touch it?" He plopped the gem in my hands, and I turned it over a couple of times. "It's really cold!"_

"_Real diamonds like these don't get warm very easily. It's a simple method to check if it's real or not." He chuckled as he took the gem back. "This is a very special jewel, Kaito. I'll tell you more about it once you get older." _

He had never gotten a chance to tell me. A month later, he had been killed on stage. I had grieved at the time, crying for my dad, and not even practicing any magic for nearly half a year. I never suspected that he had been killed, not once. Of course, a child's innocence protects it from thoughts like those.

Pulling out a lock picking gadget, I carefully inserted it into the lock. If it was one of dad's tricks, I'd have to be extremely careful. Taking a deep breath, I inserted the long thin wire into the whole, feeling for the edges. Only my careful sensitive hands could feel the walls by simply bushing them, and I pulled out the wire, shaping it to the lock. _Here it goes. _I turned the wire just once to the right, and I heard it unlock. Just a tiny click, then it opened. I was not disappointed, it was Devil's Crown.

I held it excitedly, feeling the same cold touch that I noticed eight years ago. It was real, it was Pandora, or most likely it was. I hid in my inner pocket along with its container. What Jii and I searched several months for had always been in our grasp. I laughed, feeling my good humor come back to me. Now for job two.

Searching among the shelves, I managed to locate many more of my trademark gadgets. Replacement outfits and hang gliders, pink smoke bombs, nearly invisible strings, and my sharpened cards. There were more than I remembered, perhaps Jii had been kind enough to restock my house. I'd have to thank him the next time I saw him.

As I left the house, I looked back one last time. Was Aoko still in my room, or had she headed back for home? Were the police still unaware that I took the prize, or did they just not care? Taking out the jewel, I checked it to the full moon. Something small glowed a beautiful sunset red from the center, Pandora. I would feel bad about destroying something so perfect, but it had to be done.

Pandora was a devil in disguise, even if it looked like an angel.

*Now that Pandora's been found, what in the world are they going to do with it? Well, yeah they're going to try to destroy it, but diamonds are pretty hard to break as far as I've heard. Did you like the chapter? How could I improve it? Is anybody willing to be my beta-reader as mentioned in the last chapter? If you're interested, just say so in a review and I'll try to connect with you. Thank for reading, and have a Happy End of 2010!* ~Aeyra


	34. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

*Happy start of 2011! Hope everybody had fun last night!* ^-^

The Phantom Thief treaded silently down the empty street, hardly visible except in when the clouds unveiled the moon, or the passing of an occasional car. He had changed out of his flashy white clothing as soon as he had been out of sight from the target site. Nobody could possibly suspect him of being more than a teenager that had just finished hanging with his friends. He appeared disheveled, like he had been roughhousing, a unavoidable consequence of a heist, no matter how dull it had been.

His momentary pleasure at finding Pandora had long disappeared, fading into thoughts about the other things that had happened. He had hurt Aoko by leaving her alone. He'd made it worse by telling her that he liked him; the only thing that he took happiness in was that he had managed to restrain from kissing her. It would have made it at least ten times worse for both of them

That Hakuba, how could he have possibly let his words destroy him, unnerve him? Of course, it was his own fault for becoming Kaitou Kid in the first place, but he had a good reason. To lure out that Black Organization and annihilate them, take revenge for his late father. It was their fault that this was happening, that all of their lives had been crippled in some manner. And what punishment did they get for it? Nothing that could possibly pay for all the death and heartbreak.

He took out the gem Pandora, and squeezed it tightly in his fist as if it would shatter like glass or be crushed like a delicate flower. However, it stayed as cold and hard as ever, protected by its blood-red outer shell. The boy turned, easily unlocking and opening the gate in front of him, revealing a long paved walkway leading to a large mansion. This was his home now, but even a castle couldn't replace his old home, the one which he had grown up in, the one where all his memories still lived. _One day was enough to ruin everything, _he thought bitterly.

When he reached the door, he put his hand on the lion-head knocker a little hesitantly. He didn't feel much like company, but the gentlemanly side of him required him to face it. Slowly he pulled it up, and then let it go, making a pitiful sound that was barely audible. However, it didn't seem to affect Heiji much at all.

"Congratulations!" cheered Heiji as Kaito walked through the doorway with the red stone in hand. However, the teenager didn't return his congrats and walked away without even bothering to acknowledge him. His face was as hard as stone, set in an expression of anger and sorrow. The smile on Heiji's face died down as he realized exactly how down the boy looked. "Oy, Kuroba." Heiji caught him by the arm as he passed, causing Kaito to swerve around and glare at the Osakan as coldly as Haibara. He looked like some wild animal, challenging its rival to make the next move with dangerous flickering eyes. Heiji flinched in a moment of fear, however, he did not let go. "Kuroba, did something bad happen?" he asked, trying to cut through the layer of ice that had chilled the atmosphere the moment he stepped into the house. Despite his good intentions, it only managed to tick Kaito off.

"It's none of your business," he replied coldly, pushing Heiji's hand off of him. Or at least, that was what he meant to do. Instead, he went flying into the nearby wall, and fell over. He heard a groan of pain as the teenager tried to pull himself up, only to fall back over.

Sighing, he walked over to pick him up, even feeling a little guilt for throwing him across the room having taken out some of his anger. He answered the teenager's question inside his head._ Did something bad happen? What an understatement. My entire life was ruined, annihilated, _destroyed_ in one day. One. The girl I love might be in terrible danger, as well as everybody I've ever know. I found Pandora, but I don't have a way of destroying it. People know my identity, even if I stop being Kid, I'm still a criminal. I'll _never_ be able to live a real life again. _But his poker face showed no sign of these feelings that were torturing him, burning him from the inside out, only a mask of apology for hurting the fellow teenager. "Sorry, I just lost control for a second there." A sympathetic smile from the Osakan let him know he was forgiven.

"Happens to me too sometimes, but _ow_." Heiji grabbed Kaito's outstretched hand and stood. He didn't _look_ that angry, but looks didn't show everything. "You've got a lot of anger locked up in there, and I can feel it. Look Kuroba, if you're having a hard time, just say it. We're all together now, I promise I won't judge you or anything, I won't even interrupt, I'll just listen." It was a good offer, especially given the fact that Kaito had just thrown him into a wall. The Phantom Thief wanted nothing more than to be able to spill his guts out to someone, have someone hear his pain, but he had just met this kid today, they weren't even friends yet. Even if he had trusted him enough to not turn him into the police, he didn't trust him with his emotions. That would take time.

"Thanks, but no. I can handle it myself." Kaito was sick of talk about him, so he veered off into a different topic. "Where's that Kazuha girl?" Hopefully Hattori would take the bait.

"It's already eleven, you know," pointed out Heiji. "Tomorrow's a school day, she turned in about an hour ago. I decided to stay up and wait for you." The Phantom Thief nodded. It would have been a school day for him tomorrow too, if only that damn Hakuba hadn't turned him in. If he hadn't, everything would be just great; it would be normal.

"That reminds me," said Kaito. "Since I'm staying with you, which one's my room?" He looked kind of awkward and embarrassed for asking. Heiji kindly ignored this and informed him of the ones that were already taken.

"Well, Kazuha and I are sleeping in those adjacent bedrooms there." He leaned back so he could point them out. "And the only room Kudo said was off-bounds was his, which is next to mine."

"Do you really believe that girl?" asked Kaito, careful not to put any malice in his tone. He knew that Heiji respected Ran, and he didn't want to insult either of them. The idea of a ghost just sounded so absurd to him, he knew that magic wasn't real. Okay, Akako was an exception, but she had never claimed something as weird as that. A devil to a witch was much more believable than a spirit to a human.

"I don't think she's making it up. She did know _everything._ I was doubtful at first, kind of like you, but, yeah. I believe her." He shrugged as if it didn't matter to him anymore, which it didn't. "It's okay if you don't though, some things are just impossible to accept." He knew. He was a detective; supernatural things went against his nature. Only listening to his gut instinct had driven him to believe in this impossible and improbable truth. "You'll probably want to just go with it for now, if you're with us, then you have to listen to everybody." He nodded in understanding.

Kaito yawned, and started up the stairs. "I'll just pick a random room. 'Night, Hattori."

"You too, Kuroba." Heiji was happy that he had managed to cheer him up just a little bit, but there was nothing he could do to erase the pain. He and Kazuha were the lucky ones, they hadn't actually lost anything. They were just helping to fight the battle. Hopefully everything would come out okay.

Saguru was still awake, restlessly turning over and over, unable to fall asleep. Worries clouded his mind, making it impossible to relax in the slightest. How would he act in school tomorrow? How would he face his classmates? And how would he face Aoko?

He remembered her crying face as she rejected him. Rejected him because of Kaito. Kaito who he had betrayed. Damn, how could he have been so stupid? He had always meant to bring Kid down with clever tricks during a heist, and then unmask him to reveal Kuroba. But when everything finally pieced together, his original intent didn't matter anymore, and that's why they were all ruined.

He would go to the next Kid heist, but not to catch Kaito. He would corner him and make him spill why, so he could help him. A person like Kaito couldn't have done it just for fun, he had to have a deeper reason. And maybe, if the reason was good enough, he would help him. All of a sudden, his worries came too much to handle and his mind seemed to turn itself off, letting him drift into dreamless sleep.

*Author's Note: Now that Hakuba regrets everything he's done, exactly what will happen when he runs in Kaito again? Hmm… Not planned yet but I'll get to that part sooner or later. I only plan out choice parts of my story, like the ending. I hope it'll turn out well. But I don't think it's coming any time soon… Well anyways, did you like my chapter? If you have any little complaints or compliments, please put them in a review! I treasure each and every one of them. Next update hopefully tomorrow or Monday.*


	35. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

*Author's Note: Sorry it took so long. I got slowed down by Science Olympiad, MathCounts, and my beta-reader. She's really, really good at catching all of my mistakes and plot errors. *round of applause* In order to fit my current schedule, expect an update only about twice, if you're lucky, three times a week. If that was bad grammar, I don't care. I already have chapter 35 typed out, and it has undergone some editing. maybe if i do it fast, it'll be up Friday. latest is Saturday evening.*

A huge yawn filled the silence of the nearly empty room. The messy, dark-brown haired boy stretched luxuriously as he hopped off the bed. Some of his anger and sorrow had slipped away during his almost peaceful sleep, until it had been replaced with burning fear. A foreboding, ominous nighmare had stalked his dreams last night. He shivered just by thinking about it.

_Just forget about it, Kaito, _he thought, trying to reassure himself. _Aoko's not in any danger at all. She's absolutely fine. Nothing is going to happen. _Still, visions of the mysterious shooter, the terrible sound of Aoko's final scream, and the warm, sticky red blood staining his hands while trying to save her stayed in his head, chilling him to the bone. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the nightmare. _Sheesh, Kaito, get a grip on yourself._

He walked down the hallway, trying to remember where Hattori had told him the bathroom was the night before. He needed a good splash of cold water on his face. _Where is that Hattori kid anyways? _He looked around, until his eyes reached the clock hanging above a room. _Hmm… Guess I slept in a little bit too much. It's already ten. Wonder if they left out any breakfast? Probably not; I was such a jerk to that guy last night anyways. _He had finally located the sink, and turning on the water, dunked his face in. It felt relieving, but his teeth chattered as the cold droplets rolled down his face and dripped onto his dirty shirt. At least it was a good distraction from his fear. Looking down at his clothes, he realized that water wasn't the only thing on his shirt and pants.

"Shit!" he cussed, as realization came to him. "I knew I forgot something, I knew it. I can't believe I forgot to get some of my clothes from my house last night. What the hell am I supposed to change into?" A growl from his stomach reminded him of more urgent matters. He sighed, turning away from the mirror. "Guess I'll have breakfast first."

He poured himself a bowl of cereal and milk, muttering darkly to himself the entire time. These private rants consisted of disconnected thoughts about Hakuba, Aoko, his nightmare, having no clothes, and every other freaking problem he had to deal with now. He was satisfied conversing with nobody; he did it all the time. His mom was out of town a lot, so he'd gotten into the habit of greeting himself when he came home. The last time he'd heard from his mother, she was in Las Vegas gambling and hanging out with his dad's old friends. Did she even know, or care, that his identity had been exposed?

Doesn't matter much anyways, he thought angrily. She was, and always had been an absolute pain in the butt.

"Hakuba-kun. Hakuba-kun," called the teacher from the front of the room. The sound of her voice hurt his ears, and he reluctantly looked into her annoyed face.

"Yes, Sensei?" he asked, impatience and obvious displeasure creeping into his tone. His sleep had been anything but peaceful last night. He'd woke up every hour, and even when he did get sleep, it wasn't the smooth and relaxing kind, it was filled with dreams of guilt and his broken heart.

"I've called on you at least ten times already, Hakuba-kun," she scolded, obviously displeased with his attitude. "The least you could do is pay a little attention when I'm trying to teach you. Answer this problem." She used her pointer and indicated a long algebraic expression involving trigonometry and some calculus. _Why did I even bother coming to school today? _He wondered.

"Two 'x' squared minus four 'y' plus 'z' all over six 'a' cubed minus 'b'." The teacher looked stunned at his quick response. _What was so surprising? _he thought. He'd learned all of this basic math from his father a long time ago, so school was merely reinforcement. At that moment, the bell rang for study hall, and chatter from bored classmates quickly broke out.

"Hakuba-kun, you shouldn't blame yourself so much." Akako suddenly appeared at his side. He had not been aware of her approach, and was surprised to see her. "It's not your fault. Trust me." _What did she know about it? _He asked angrily. She had no right to say that.

"It _is, _Koizumi-san," he literally snarled at her. Aoko glared at him from across the room, but it was less harsh than yesterday, and her expression was more content. However, there were bags under her eyes, and it was obvious that she didn't get much sleep the night before. "Just leave me alone." He looked away from Aoko, completely unaware of the tiny red laser beam that was focused on her forehead.

An electric pulse seemed to jolt through Kaito's entire body, leaving him panting and shaking with fear. He choked on the milk he had been drinking. _What was that? _He thought frantically. Visions of his nightmare came back, as if to answer his question. Could it be Aoko?

"Dammit," he swore under his breath. He ran out the door, heading for Ekoda High School, a half-hour away by normal standards. There wasn't much time, and he could feel the seconds ticking down. How could he get there faster? There was no time left to think, and he sprinted down the quickest route he knew. He remembered the smile on Snake's face as he pulled the trigger, and the sadistic laughter that followed. _No, no, no!_

"Oh yeah, Ran-chan," commented Kazuha during study hall after a long math exam. "Where was Ai-chan this morning? I didn't see her." She stretched as she asked, her muscles stiff after being cooped up in a desk for a least an hour. She dreaded the next exam-History.

"The elementary school has off for the rest of the week, so Mitsuhiko's mom took her and the rest of her friends to a weekend camp early this morning. They're not coming back until Monday." Ran noticed Heiji standing forlornly by the windowsill, where he had been since Study Hall started fifteen minutes ago. He looked back, feeling her stare. "What was it, Hattori-kun?"

"I swear I saw Kuroba pass by ten minutes ago. Where the hell is he going?" he muttered the last part almost to himself. A tap on his shoulder alerted him to Jodie-sensei, who had a worried look on her face.

"I just got a message from one of my co-workers. Something happened at Ekoda High School, less than a few minutes ago," she whispered, though her voice was audible to each of them. "I think it has something to do with them." Their eyes went wide. _Them. _The Black Organization.

"What happened?" asked Ran in a whisper, fear in her voice.

"There was a sniper- and it seems a girl was hit. Her name is Nakamori Aoko- I'm not sure of her current condition." It took Heiji a couple of seconds to piece it together. Nakamori Aoko, the Police Inspector's daughter. Kuroba Kaito's best friend. There could only be one reason they were targeting her.

"We have to stop him before he gets there! It's a trap!" Heads turned as he headed for the door, when Jodie-sensei prevented him from leaving the room.

"That's not the only thing that's happened. I got this at the beginning of study hall and I didn't think it was important. But when Ran-chan brought up a weekend camp, I realized that it could be related." Her eyes showed nothing- They were as cold as steel. "Reports came in about a fake weekend camping trip for elementary age students. Their target was to kidnap one of the boys, and hold the other children hostage. No suspects have been found, and neither have the children."

"Who was the boy?" asked Heiji, half curious, half angry.

"Ryuu Miyazaki," she said, slipping back into her English cadences. "His dad is head of Japan's police forces. This information hasn't been made public because the police don't want to press the kidnappers into making any dangerous moves. But if it's _them_, then I don't think there's much of a chance we can stop them from killing everyone of those kids." She showed them the message on her cell phone, and Ran gasped as she reached the camp's name.

"That's where Ai-chan and the kids are!"

Haibara Ai struggled to breathe the duct tape that covered her mouth and nose. Her hands were bound behind her back, restraining her movement. She already had a dark bruise and a black eye for trying to escape once, and her captors had threatened to draw their guns. She had seen the weapons, so she knew it wasn't a bluff.

The only one bound with more than ropes was a black-haired boy with bright green eyes which were hidden behind his tightly sealed eyelids. He had told her while they were walking on the faux nature tour that his name was Miyazaki Ryuu. His father was the police officer Miyazaki Tatsuya.

"_You're both dragons, huh?" she had commented, that peaceful afternoon. At the time, she had not been aware of the impending danger. It had just seemed like a normal camp, a fun place to stay for the weekend. She enjoyed the idea of staying here with her friends and she was already getting along pretty well with Ryuu._

"_Yeah, it was my mom's idea." His words were casual, treating her as an equal even though he was technically three years her senpai. "My dad had a business trip to go on this weekend, and my mom's really busy so she didn't have time to take care of me. It must have been a stroke of luck for us when the brochure for this camp arrived in the mail. I had to beg to go though, looks like it was a right choice. I can't stand being cooped up in the house."_

"_It's nice out here isn't it?" Ai looked around, admiring the pretty scenery around her. "I've never been outside much before. It's a lot better than I thought it would be."_

"_It's great being out here. It makes me feel powerful and grown up. Once I get old enough, I'm going to become a police officer just like my dad. What do you want to be?" The question surprised the girl, but she answered instantly._

"_I want to become a scientist, a biochemist to be exact. I find interest in the field of sciences, especially how certain chemicals can change the functions of the human body." He felt her speech was weird, he didn't know any first graders that talked like that._

"_I hope you reach your dream one day." He smiled kindly._

"_And you yours."_

He was now unconscious; he had put up quite a good fight for a fourth grade boy. She could hardly hear his labored breathing through the stream of blood cascading from his broken nose. _Ryuu-kun, _she thought desperately. There was something about this boy that made her want to protect him. Want him to one day live to achieve his dreams.

"Yeah, boss, it's me, Viura," murmured the woman into a cell phone. She was curled comfortably into the corner of the room, watching them. Her comrade was probably watching the other children. "We got the kid- Have you contacted his father yet?" An answer she could not hear, then a snicker. "Well, if Gin's on it, I know he'll get the job done right."

_Gin, _she thought. _It has to be a mistake. _She felt Gin's gunshot as it ended her sister's life, his smile as he delivered the news, the horrible way he had always treated her. She felt he was worse than the boss. A little shriek came unintentionally from her mouth, and Viura looked suspiciously at her. She instantly hid her face of horror; she was supposed to have nothing to do with him.

Her heart beat faster, and she could feel fear coursing through her veins as she realized the full danger she was in. This was the work of the Black Organization. And she had just become an unintentional target.

*Note: Ryuu means dragon spirit, and Tatsuya means aggressive dragon. (or something along those lines.) I was searching up names because Ryuu will show up a lot in the rest of the story. Theories anybody? By the way, Viura is a type of red wine for those who are interested.*

*P.S. What did you think of that double cliff hanger? Suspenseful enough? Please review, they'll always make me want to write faster. Thanks for staying with this up to now! ~Aeyra*


	36. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

*This chapter's been done since like last Sunday, but I haven't had a chance to finish editing it until now. Good news is that it's out a day before I expected it to, so that's great. Don't expect chapter 36 until at least Monday, because I haven't even started. Thank you to all who favorited my story, you know who you are! Please review this chapter, I spent a bunch of time trying to make it good. It ends with a cliffhanger, kind of like the last chapter. I'm going to draw my OC (Ryuu Miyazaki) and post it on deviantart soon if I can, so everybody can get a visualization. Wish me luck! And I would like everybody to give a round of applause to my beta-reader LostintheDreams who has been doing an _amazing_ job editing my story. It actually makes sense now. Onto chapter 35!*

Calvados couldn't believe he had been assigned to such a simple job. He, one of the greatest snipers in the Organization just behind Chianti and Korn, was told to shoot a high school girl. It wasn't even like she was a dangerous threat. Not even troublesome to bother hunting down and catch. She'd be sitting in her classroom, just like the normal student she was. Her only fault was being unfortunate enough to be friends with the Kaitou Kid. He almost felt bad about this-Killing a girl or at least this type of target went against his policies. Not that he hadn't done it before, it just made what was left of his humanity feel uneasy.

He was hidden in a tree, a good tall one, at least a hundred yards away from the classroom. Using the scope of the gun, he zoomed in on his target. Nakamori Aoko, seventeen years old this year. She had long dark brown hair, however the rest of her details were obscured by the distance. Snake had ordered him to do this, and when he had asked why…

"_Don't question my orders, Calvados!" he had screamed, putting his hand towards his gun. That was why Calvados had always hated Snake, no matter how you approached him he always acted so aggressive._

"_I just want to know why I'm doing this. Is this person a danger to the Organization or something?" I asked out of pure curiosity._

"_No, I just want to rile up that thief." He smiled evilly like the absolute sadist he was._

"_Thief?" I said, guarding my emotions. He must be talking about Kaitou Kid. I'd seen something about him the other day in the newspaper, but I hadn't bothered reading._

"_Kuroba Kaito, better known as Kid. Kaitou Kid." He took out a photo of a teenage boy with messy hair. However, it was not a very good photo, as most of his face was covered by a top hat and monocle. "His father was the previous Kaitou Kid, so I had suspected him at times, but the discovery of his identity in the actual news was a huge timesaver. I did some research on him and found out that his best friend, and love interest, is Nakamori Aoko- Your target." He drew another photo out of his pocket, and this time the features were distinct. She had the same shade of dark brown hair, and it was also rather messy. Her bright, beautiful blue eyes stood out on her otherwise nondescript face. "We have no leads on the whereabouts of the Kid at the moment, so in order to lure him out, we'll kill her. He's the true danger to this Organization."_

"_Understood Snake."_

He focused his gun until he was sure it would hit his target. He could see the tiny red dot shining on her chocolate-colored hair, and he knew it would be impossible to miss. The bullet would go straight into the side of her head and stop her life forever. He could feel the pleasure in killing now, the fact that he was above others, that he was like a god of death. His expression didn't show any of his thoughts, as he had learned to hide any emotion a long, long, time ago. He took a couple of deep breathes, and pulled the trigger.

"Ryuu-kun, wake up. Ryuu-kun." A girl's voice led him back into consciousness. "Ryuu-kun, are you alright?" He looked up and saw that the girl was Haibara Ai, the one he had just met that day, or was it the day before that? He had lost track of time, and he couldn't see the window behind him. However, by the lack of light, he suspected it was nighttime. Her blue eyes were filled with concern as she stared into his emerald ones, and her face covered in scratches and bruises.

He was lying on his back, with no memory of how he ended up like that. He felt the metal of handcuffs on his wrists, and tightly knotted ropes around his feet. As he tried to sit up, his abdomen protested in pain, and he fell back down groaning. "It hurts, Ai-kun." As a joke, he had decided to use the 'kun' honorific earlier and she had not complained, so it became his nickname for her. "I don't remember anything. What time is it? What's going on?"

"I don't know the exact time, but I believe it's morning. It's raining outside." He strained his ears and he could hear the pitter-pattering of the tiny droplets hitting the earthen ground. "We're being held hostage, but I think we've technically been kidnapped. It was that camp counselor and the forest ranger. All of us were captured, however it seems that you were their main target because your father is the Chief of Police. I overheard the counselor talking on the phone, demanding a ransom for you. One hundred million yen, as well as a promise to not interfere in their business again." Her voice trembled as she said _their business _and Ryuu suspected she wasn't telling him everything she knew.

"Where are the other kids?" As a police officer's son, he'd been trained to be brave and to look after others first. He wasn't worried about himself at all.

"They're safe, though they're in a different room. We tried to fight them off-we failed of course- so we ended up in here. You were knocked unconscious, so you wouldn't remember much of that." He couldn't recall the fighting, only the result. His broken nose ached, and his stomach was still hurting. He wished he could wipe the sweat off of his sticky forehead, but his hands were tied behind his back. His jet black hair fell into his eyes, irritating him. "There isn't a way to escape if that's what you're planning." She didn't sound like a first grader to him at all, no matter what her looks and words said. Even in a situation like this, instead of crying like he'd expect her to, her talk was calm and mature, like an adult's. He could feel that she had much more knowledge than him, but she tried to keep it hidden. Why? Footsteps from outside distracted his thoughts, and the door was unbolted. The faux camp counselor walked through the door, a smile on her face.

Violently, she walked over to Ryuu and suddenly picked him up by his shirt collar. He yelped in shock and pain. "Guess what dragon boy?" He struggled in her grasp, but she would not let go. "Your father wants you back pretty badly. He's going to drop off the money tomorrow at the Beika Port. Unfortunately for him, it'll be the last thing he'll ever manage to do. A bomb should be just the thing, don't you think?" Ryuu's eyes widened in horror as he realized what she was saying.

"Don't you dare hurt my father you bitch!" The boy found it hard to breathe in his position, but he still managed to find the breath to cuss. "He won't fall for that bullshit! I swear!" he screamed. He started choking from a lack of air, face looking tortured. Viura threw him back onto the ground pitilessly, with a disgusted look on her face.

"A frog's son is still a frog as they say." She daintily wiped her hand where she had picked up Ryuu. She flipped her light brown hair off of her face, and they could see her strange, red eyes. Ai shivered, who was this person? "It won't be all bad though, I'm sending you two and all the other children to hell with him." She quickly set up a simple bomb mechanism to the door, and poured gasoline around them. They started coughing from the acidic fumes. "If anybody tries to open this door after I close this, the cabin will go up in flames, killing you. Send my regards to the devil!" she cackled deviously, and then skipped out of the room, carefully closing the door behind her. The sound of a car starting crackled through the air, and then it was gone.

"This is not good," murmured Ai.

Heiji whirled his head to the window- and then to the door, torn between what he should do. Kaito was running towards a dangerous member of the syndicate. With his hot-blooded impulsive attitude, there was almost no chance that he wouldn't get himself killed. Especially because it was his best friend on the line.

And Haibara, she'd already been captured by the Black Organization, even if they didn't realize they had Sherry in their hands. Her chances of surviving were next to nothing as well. _Damn it! Which one? _He thought.

"I've already called in a substitute for the rest of the day, Hattori-kun," informed Jodie-sensei, laying her hand on his shoulder. "All three of you are coming with me. I've got my comrades waiting with a ride outside the door already." As they turned to leave, Ran was stopped by Sonoko, who had noticed the fishy conversation.

"Where are you going Ran?" She grabbed Ran's arm as she asked, worry in her eyes.

Ran hesitated before she answered, not wanting to lie to her best friend. "We have something important to do. We'll be okay, Sonoko." Sonoko frowned as she let go of Ran's arm, with one last worried glance at her friend as they walked out of the classroom.

There was a large black van waiting outside as said, and beside it were two men. One was at least fifty years old, told by the fact that his hair had already turned white. He wore glasses with dark rims and a stern expression on his face. The other seemed like a trained killer, his menacing cat-like eye piercing through each of them, making them shiver in fear.

"This is Hattori Heiji, Tooyama Kazuha, and Mouri Ran." Jodie pointed to each of them in order. "They'll be helping us, for today at least."

"Is it really okay to bring teenagers along?" questioned the cat-eyed man, his pupils narrowing into slits.

"It'll be fine Shuu, these kids know much more than you think. Didn't I tell you to get two cars?" she scolded angrily. "We have two missions right now!"

"Calm down, I already sent Camel to get those kids back," he reassured her casually as if nothing were happening, taking out a cigarette. He lit it, and took a long drag.

"What are you waiting for then?" She smacked the cigarette out of his hand. "Get the car started!"

"Yes, Jodie." He hopped into the front seat, inserting the key and starting the engine. "You want shotgun?" She reluctantly took the seat and showed her disdain by arrogantly sticking her nose up into the air with a big hmmph. The teenagers got into the back seats with the other man, who greeted them welcomely.

"My name is James Black, since she didn't introduce us properly." He spoke in a calm, grandfather-like manner. "That man there is Akai Shuuichi. We're all members of the F.B.I. How much do you know about our target?"

"More than you would care to know," said Heiji. "Our informant's currently in danger though." He didn't mention Ai by name, not knowing if he should truly trust the man.

"What about the kids?" asked Ran, still thinking about Ai and her friends. She didn't give anybody time to answer when she continued her questions. "We're heading for Ekoda High School right now, aren't we? Aren't we going a bit too fast?" She fidgeted in her seat as the needle in the speedometer edged past eighty.

"We have another agent heading there already. We believe that the suspects have probably already left the children alone, so we only sent one person." He looked at his watch. "As for where we're going, it's already been fifteen minutes since that girl was shot, but we don't have much information. To be honest with you, we've been getting a lot of different stories. All we know for sure is that they were after Nakamori Aoko and that there was a gun fired."

"How long until we get to Ekoda?" asked Kazuha, who was in just about the same state as Ran. Heiji hugged her close, calming her down a little bit.

"About ten minutes, maybe five if we can continue this speed." The needle headed towards ninety. "I'd put on those seat belts," he advised. "It won't be fun if Akai suddenly has to brake."

Kaito had already arrived at Ekoda High School, his premonition, quick route, and amazingly fast speed had put him there before the F.B.I. He had been fueled by his adrenaline and the feeling of unavoidable dread. He knew before he reached the entrance that something had happened- he could hear the school lock-down alarm, one that had never had to ring before.

As he started towards the school entrance, a man from a nearby tree hopped down. He had a large gun strapped to his back, and Kaito immediately recognized it as a sniping gun. This had to be the man that caused all the trouble. The one that might have killed Aoko.

The man didn't notice him until Kaito pounced and threw the man to the ground. A thin cloud of red covered his entire vision as a need for revenge surged through his body.

The man beneath him struggled, and pulled out a handgun. Damn! How could he have forgotten that the man might have extra weapons He wrestled fiercely for the gun, knowing that if he lost, he would lose his life with it. As he grappled for the trigger, he heard three shots fire, and pain wrenched his shoulder as a crimson flower blossomed from his torn shirt. Blood seeped out, and he started to feel a little bit dizzy.

"Aoko!" Hakuba raced to her side after the bullet had shattered the window. She was unconscious, and there was a small stream of blood running down the back of her head where it landed in small drips on the floor. Checking her wounds, he realized that the bullet had only skimmed her. He let out the breath he had been holding. Thank god.

The shot had ended up hitting the circuit board, turning the whole room black, and the class was in total chaos. It was hard to relax in such panic, but he was good at keeping his cool. Leaving Aoko for a second, he glanced out the window, wondering, _Who was the shooter?_

Calvados knew he was now fighting for his life. The boy had as much of a grip on the gun as he did, and was fighting fiercely even though he had been shot. Where did this boy come from? How did he know who he was? Something seemed familiar about that unruly dark brown hair, and it came back to him. This was the Kaitou Kid. He'd come to avenge his friend, just like Snake had predicted.

_He pulled the trigger, and he watched in satisfaction as the bullet flew towards the window. The girl simultaneously slid forward, falling onto her desk. The bullet barely brushed by the back of her head as it raced by. He had missed._

Shit!_ He thought, setting up another bullet. However, the room suddenly went dark, and students were running around crazily. The bullet must have blacked out the room. There was no longer a guaranteed way to hit his target without hurting others and Calvados hadn't brought any large scale explosives to take care of his blunder._

_He hopped down from the tree in disappointment, only to run into a boy who liked he was ready to kill him._

Calvados somehow managed to get his finger on the trigger again. He pulled down and counted the remaining shots as they left the barrel.

5,

4,

3…

Each of them made contact somewhere on the boy, and his screams wrenched the air with each shot. He fell back, panting for air, face bloodied, and clutching his stomach, his blue shirt now stained with an ugly red. Calvados stood up, cocking the gun one last time as he stared into the teenager's face, laughing at the kid's stupidity in challenging _him_ to a fight. "Say your prayers, boy."

The teenager closed his eyes, and waited for the kill.

*Author's Note: So, what did you think? Will Kaito die? What is with Viura, and exactly who is she? Can Ai and Ryuu escape? I can probably only hit two of those in the next chapter, and Shinichi will have a say! (hopefully.) Please review! They mean so much to me! just take two seconds, thanks in advance! P.S. If you have any theories about this story you would like confirmed, just send me a PM and I'll answer. But it's not my fault if it ruins the rest of the story for you.* ~Aeyra


	37. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

*Okay, longest chapter out. I seem to be writing longer and longer chapters each time. I just sit down at the computer for forty five minutes, then realize there's already six pages. It takes me so long to post chapters because I have to study for mathcounts. As for a disclaimer, I am going to point out that it should be quite obvious that nobody on this site owns DC, but I do own Ryuu and Viura and whatever OCs I think of next. If you want to borrow them though, just ask me and tell me what you want them for. I'm going to draw a picture of Ryuu and post it on deviantart soon, but unfortunately, my best drawings of him all seem to be on my tests, which means I can't post them and color them in. *sigh* I really want to show everybody the adorable ten year old I see in my head. Please review after reading! And huge thanks to my beta reader, LostintheDreams, who corrects all of my grammar, plot, and spelling mistakes! Huge thanks to all reviewers, favoriters, alerters, etc. Anyways, onto Chapter 36!*

"Shit!" cried Jodie-sensei as the car reached a traffic jam. There had been an accident on the road they were on, and a detour would cost them at least five minutes, even traveling ninety miles per hour. She, Shuuichi, and James would have to stay on the car, as they would look suspicious if they were seen running away from the accident, so she had to resort to putting the teenager's lives in danger. "Kids, I know this is dangerous, but please run to Ekoda High School from here, we won't be able to make it in time driving. Hattori-kun, I trust you know how to use this?"

She handed him a semi-automatic handgun; a small, black weapon that Heiji took, examining it with his eyes. "How many shots can I take?" He looked professional and composed as he tested the safety and pretended to aim the gun at the seat in front of him, feeling the weight. His eyes seemed to have a strange cold glint as he stared at the barrel.

"The magazine holds six," she answered, taking an extra clip of bullets out of her pocket. "Use these just in case. You have to hurry, I'm not sure about how many lives are in danger."

All three of them nodded, and exited the car. "Ekoda's over this way!" directed Heiji, sprinting forward, with Ran and Kazuha following. Good thing he had been looking at the map in the car.

_Ran, are you sure about this? _asked Shinichi. _This could be very dangerous. Kuroba seems as impulsive as Hattori, it'll be no wonder if he's dead by now! _

_I'm prepared. It would be sad if I took karate since I was in elementary and couldn't fight, wouldn't it? _She clenched her fists, proving her point. _And Hattori-kun has a gun, so we'll be protected. _She didn't mention how queasy the gun made her feel.

_I don't want anybody else joining me. One life lost to this cause is bad enough. _Shinichi spent a lot of his time sulking inside her head when he thought she wasn't paying attention or he wanted to make sure she knew exactly how dangerous something was.

_One life is enough…_ thought Ran, tears forming in her eyes, thinking the thought she'd never want Shinichi to hear. That she would never let him hear if she could help it.

_You okay?_

_Just something in my eye, _she explained, lying through her teeth.

Kaito lay on the ground, panting heavily as blood streamed out of his wounds. His opponent now held the gun in his hands, and Kaito no longer had the strength to fight. He knew that he would probably die, even without a bullet through his head; the world was already spinning around him and black was closing in around the edges of his vision.

The man smiled, his face blurred, and then aimed the gun at his head. "Say your prayers, boy." He heard the sound of a gun being cocked, and a small chuckle.

Kaito closed his eyes, unwilling to see the last moment of his life.

Ran charged Calvados with fury, as Shinichi's words fueled her with fighting spirit. Nobody else was going to die if she could help it. She managed to knock the gun out his hands; a surprised look appeared on his face as he turned to his sudden attacker.

He dodged her powerful kick, and ducked down to the ground. It took him less than a second to process what was happening. He pulled a knife out of a hidden sheath on the back of his right leg, and then crouched down to lift up Kaito and pressed the blade to the boy's neck. Kaito didn't seem aware of what was going on, he just stayed limp in the man's arms.

"If you don't want me to slit his throat, I suggest stop fighting. And the boy behind her, put down that gun," he noted. Hattori had been aiming Calvados, but he knew it was too risky to shoot now. Even if he did, there was a high chance he would hit Kaito. Calvados took this to his advantage, and pressed the knife threateningly into Kaito's throat, showing that he wasn't going to hesitate if he had to kill him. Tiny beads of blood were forming around the blade.

"You'll have to let me escape. Back away, and don't you dare follow me. Make any sudden moves, and I'll send him to the devil," he commanded. Ran could hardly take in this sudden turning of the tables. Kaito's pale face deeply contrasted with the dark stains of red spread out all over his body. The boy was like a doll, only staying up because of Calvados's strong hold around his waist. It was clear that his assailant could do nothing without causing the death of her friend. She lowered her fists. As far as Heiji, Ran, and Kazuha could see, there was no possible way to win this battle. Heiji bowed his head in defeat. What else could be done?

"Let him go please," begged Ran, tears forming in her eyes. _No more death, _she thought. "We won't attack you, we promise." She knew if the man didn't release Kaito now, he would kill him later as he made his getaway. Kaito would die before that if he didn't get immediate medical attention. _Please let him go! Please!_

"I'm not that stupid, girl." He chuckled to himself, overfilled with the sense of superiority- the knowledge that he was the victor. "I'm not going to let my hostage go when you can shoot me once I have my back turned. I've done this enough times before to know all the tricks. Tears and begging won't work."

_Shinichi, what do I do? _Kazuha was shaking beside her, obviously as filled with fear as Ran was. Ran was staring at the ground, not wanting to see Kaito's beat-up face, and Calvados's smirk. She knew if she looked back up, the horror would be confirmed.

_You have no choice but to knock that knife out of his hands. _He sounded scared and uncertain, but Ran had known that it was the only thing she could do, she just tried to convince herself it wasn't true. Shinichi's thoughts made it an absolute reality. She looked up again.

_Shinichi, I'm not sure if I can do it… _she stuttered, hesitating as she saw Kaito, bleeding out, blood staining Calvados's hands. The grass beneath him was painted red, and it shook her even more.

_He's going to die if we don't get him help immediately! He came knowing he might get killed. It's your only shot Ran. If you're going to do it, do it now! _His words gave Ran the determination she needed. She nodded, and let her instincts take over.

Ran let out a roar, and ran towards Calvados.

"Just a little bit more, Ai-kun!" encouraged Ryuu, as Ai attempted to unlock his handcuffs with a bit of wire she had found on the ground.

"I think I've got it!" She twisted the wire further into the pinprick lock, and they both breathed a sigh of relief as the heard the rewarding clank when they fell to the ground. Ryuu smiled broadly, happy to be free of the restraints.

"You can't believe how good this feels!" he exclaimed, stretching out his sore wrists, then took the wire from her hands. "Now it's my turn." He stood on his knees precariously, seeing as his legs were still tied, and set to work releasing Ai from her shackles in mere minutes, having learned how to pick handcuffs from his father. He hoped he would get to see his father again.

They both untied the ropes on their feet, and silently stretched out their cramped limbs. Now they had a chance of surviving. "The only way to escape is that window." Ai pointed to the small window in the top corner of the room. It was too far out of their reach, and there was no furniture in the small cabin.

Ryuu hopped up and tried to get a hold on the window sill, but he slid down instantly, missing it by a good foot and a half. "I can't get up, and I'm six inches taller than you. Do you think if I lifted you then you could get out the window?"

"But then you wouldn't be able to get out, Ryuu-kun," said Ai, not liking what he was suggesting.

"Policemen sacrifice themselves in the line of duty when they have to." He shrugged his shoulders casually, but Ai could see the fear in his ten year old eyes. If she took his offer, then that would be another life she had taken away, besides he was not old enough to die yet. He was not a policeman.

_When did I start to feel sorry for others? _she asked herself, remembering her dark past. _I've always lived emotionlessly, apathetically, like a rock. But now, everything's changed. Why? _Everything had been a little easier before her sister had died. She hadn't had to deal with a whirlwind of different emotions. She had felt anger, sorrow, guilt, jealousy, and happiness back then- but only for herself. Now she found herself being angry, feeling sad, feeling hatred, and feeling happiness for others, something she had never even done for Akemi. As much as she loved her sister, she had treated her more like a prized possession she wanted to keep than a family member. Being Haibara Ai taught her how to care for people, and she knew she was going to protect this boy.

"I'm not going to let you commit suicide. We're both staying. Somebody will come to get us and the other kids." She said this with determination, trying to convince herself as well, knowing it was highly unlikely that anybody would come. "We just need to think of something to take up time. There's still over twelve hours before the cabin blows up."

"I never really got to hear about the things you like to do, Ai-kun. And I don't know a thing about your family either. Can you tell me about them?" he asked curiously, starting what would be a very long conversation.

Over the next couple of hours, they started talking about the details of their daily lives. Ai learned that Ryuu loved dragons, his favorite color was a vivid green, just like his eyes, he liked eating salmon sashimi, and that he wanted to become part of the bomb squad when he became a police officer. She told him about things she didn't even realize until that moment. That she liked the color blue, not an icy one, but a warm, ocean blue, that she loved the feel of the cool mountain air around her, and that when she grew up, she wanted to help people with her knowledge. _Not like last time, _she almost said. Without her conscious knowledge, she almost told him about everything, about her sister, and the Organization, but she just managed to hold back.

"You go to Teitan Elementary School?" she remarked, surprised. She had never seen him before, it was strange that they went to the same school.

"Yeah, I'm in class 4-A, Kiyomizu-sensei's class. She's really strict though, it's not much fun being in her class. You better hope you don't get her once you're in the fourth grade." He smiled at her, and she felt safe, even though they were in a cabin rigged with bombs and smelling of gasoline.

"Do you live close to the school?" Ai asked him. They were both leaning on the wall as they talked, staring into each other's eyes. His green irises were light and happy again, and it made her think of springtime.

"I can walk there in ten minutes, but my dad always insists on driving me. It's kind of embarrassing to be driven to school in a cruiser every day." Now that she thought about it, she had seen a police car around the school a couple of times. She had always assumed there was trouble or that it was part of the patrol car's daily route.

"Is there anybody there?" asked a voice from outside, breaking into their conversation. Ai was annoyed for a second until she realized that it was probably help. Ryuu stood up immediately, and started yelling.

"We're in here!" called Ryuu and Ai, not daring to bang on the door in case it set off the explosion. They heard loud footsteps approaching them quickly.

"Tsk, the door is locked." They heard the voice say as the door shook a little, and the deep baritones told them it was a man. "I'm going to knock it down, okay kids?" They realized that that would be a fatal mistake. They could hear his footsteps getting faster and harder as he charged towards the door. Ai could already see the flames and smell the smoke, and she could hear Ryuu's tortured screams in her mind.

"Don't!"

Calvados lifted the knife off of Kaito's throat in self-defense as Ran aimed a fierce kick towards his head. Kaito fell to the ground, not moving a muscle.

_Get him away from Kuroba! Give Hattori and Tooyama space so they can help him! _commanded Shinichi. Ran felt like a soldier taking orders from a higher-up, he knew exactly what to do when she didn't. It was a such a relief that she had him.

_You got it! _She had to fight for every inch, and Calvados was violently thrusting his knife, trying to stab her. He was moving fast; she couldn't hit the knife out of his hand, but years of experience and training made it easy to avoid any attack he tried. It was almost like she was teasing him.

_Duck, whirl, kick, punch! _called Shinichi. Ran followed his instructions, and Calvados was finally far enough from Kaito for Heiji and Kazuha to help him.

"Mouri!" yelled Heiji. "Catch this!" He threw the gun, and she skillfully caught it in the middle of a revolution. She put her hand on the trigger, and then realized she had never held a gun before.

_Shinichi! How do I use this thing? _She had absolutely no idea how to fire the gun. Calvados was now charging her with his knife, seeing her moment of weakness. She was not prepared to use any karate, the only thing she'd have time for was to fire the gun.

_First use a proper stance, _said Shinichi in a dead set planted her feet on the ground quickly and bent her knees as if she was about to launch a kick. _Next, aim the gun. _She closed her right eye and looked at the quickly approaching Calvados with her left eye, feeling unusually calm. Everything moved in slow motion around her, and she didn't even need to hear Shinichi's next instruction to know what to do. _Release the safety and shoot! _There was a flash of light and smoke. Calvados collapsed onto the ground, blood spilling out from a hole in his chest.

He was dead. The serenity that had taken over only moments before disappeared, and she could feel the adrenaline and the blood pumping through her veins. She stared emotionlessly at the body, until her mind pieced together the fact that she had killed him. Her face became a mask of fear. She was a murderer. Her hands clenched tighter around the gun, in an attempt to keep herself together. She felt disgusted holding the weapon, but she couldn't let go.

Heiji and Kazuha were frozen, kneeling next to Kaito, shocked at the sudden death. Kazuha wore the same face as Ran, and her mouth gaped open. Heiji was a little bit more calm, but even though he had handed her the gun and partially expected this, he couldn't hide the surprise on his face. He got up and walked over to Ran, knowing that she needed the comfort. "Good job, Mouri. If you didn't shoot him, he would have killed you."

Ran couldn't answer, staring petrified at Calvados's unmoving body. She had just killed somebody. She had just ended somebody's life. Wasn't that what she was trying to prevent? She finally dropped the gun, and it clattered onto the ground. She slumped onto her knees, eyes unseeing. _Because of me, because of me, because of me! _Her mind cried, and it was the only thing she could hear.

_Ran, Ran! Are you okay? _yelled Shinichi. _Ran, answer me please! _He broke through her shield, and she felt her mind face towards him.

_Shinichi… _she whimpered pitifully. _I killed him. I murdered him. How could I have? I shot him! _She shouted the last sentence out loud. She was breathing heavily, and she could hardly hold herself up. _I killed him. He's dead because of me!_

_I can't say I know how you feel right now, but think of it this way. He was about to kill Kuroba, he was probably the shooter that was after Nakamori, and he just tried to stab you. You killed him to save lives. In that sense, this is justified. _Even Shinichi's comforting words couldn't ease her guilt. They heard the squealing of car tires, and a thump.

"We're here," said Jodie-sensei, slamming the van door shut. Ran did not see her, as she refused to look up, but she heard her gasp. "What happened?"

Heiji quickly explained the situation to her, and they agreed on something that Ran didn't hear. "Shuu, get the first aid kit quickly! James, please call a hospital, and make sure they understand that nobody can know who this boy is." They did not protest, even though her orders to James were strange.

"Camel's found where the kids are," Shuuichi announced, bringing the First Aid box and binding Kaito's wounds. "But it's trickier than he thought it would be. All of the doors are rigged with bombs."

"Can he get them out?" she asked him, as she picked up Kaito with the help of Heiji.

"Luckily, he got to Miyazaki-kun and another hostage, a young girl named Haibara Ai, who were separated from the other kids first and they told him about the bombs. He can't get in through the window, but he managed to break it and toss them a rope. I think they're out." A small sigh of relief was heard all around. If Ai had gotten out, she would definitely know how to help the other kids.

"I called the closest hospital, and my friend is making arrangements. We have to drive him there now." James closed his cell phone. Kaito was placed gently into the car and the rising and falling movement of his chest was hardly visible, but his mouth was moving, forming the name '_Aoko'._ "Are you guys coming?" He looked at Ran and Kazuha as he spoke.

"Ran-chan, please get up." Kazuha pulled on her arm. Ran stood up, but she moved like a ragdoll, only making because Kazuha was helping her.

_Do you think Kaito-kun will live? _she asked Shinichi, hoping fervently that he would. She had killed that man for him, if he died…

"I'm staying here." Akai hopped off of the car. "Somebody has to explain what just happened." Ran caught a glimpse of him running towards the school entrance.

With his voice filled with uncertainty, and a strange seriousness, Shinichi replied. _I don't know Ran, I don't know._

_*_This didn't really fit into the story, but if you're curious about Ryuu's B-day, it's March 21st in honor of his eyes looking like springtime. So, how did you like the chapter? Was it good? Was it too long? (I'm not making them shorter.) Please review, it only takes two seconds! My traffic counter broke again, it says I got zero hits over the past three days, which isn't true because somebody favorited one of my stories. Anybody else have that problem? Chapter 37 is already in stage 'two' which is I've already edited it once after my beta-reader sent it back. I usually go through two or three cycles before I post. Thanks for reading! ~Aeyra*


	38. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

*Hola everybody! I want you all to know that I can't write as much because of several upcoming academic competitions. Oh the joys of being Chinese. My writing time's restricted to weekends (schedule change, probably can't write on weekends either, I'm so sorry! I'll try my hardest! So, don't expect more than one chapter every two weeks, maybe not even. (mathcounts will be over 3/21) Sorry about that part. This is the longest chapter I've written by nearly 500 words. What used to be three chapters is now squeezed into one because I think it's better that way. I put in more Ryuu, because I love(not literally, but you get my point.) the little ten year old boy I see in my head, he's just so cute. I'd love feedback on him! Reviews would also be fantastic! So, um, yeah! I guess that's it, other than the stupid disclaimer I forgot to write for the first thirty chapters. And on that line, FUNimation is planning to remove all Detective Conan videos from YouTube, dubs _and_ subs. Join the petition on http:/ www. gopetition .com/ petition/ (sorry about all the spaces! if i don't do that, it might kill the link!) to stop it. I depend on YouTube for DC, so I need it to stay there. Join me!*

Disclaimer: I don't own Detective Conan. If I did, I probably wouldn't know what to do with it. I mean, seriously, I can't do a chapter a week, it'd kill me. Especially if I had to draw it. I don't get the point in writing this, why would Gosho Aoyama be writing fanfics in his free time? It's clear that nobody on fanfiction owns Detective Conan. This is a fun place to rant about how stupid disclaimers are.

"Camel-ojisan, please let me do it," pleaded Ai, tugging on his jeans. "I don't think Ryuu-kun can, he's already hurt. I'm smaller too, so it'll

be easier for me!" The said 'Ryuu-kun' was balanced precariously on Camel's shoulders, trying to smash the window of the other cabin with a hammer that they had found.

"I'll be fine, Ai-kun," he said, wielding the hammer. His forehead was covered in sweat from effort; the glass had actually been very hard to smash. His spiky, unruly black hair was even messier than before, sticking out in all directions.

He missed the window, and fell forward off his perch, pushing off the building, so that he wouldn't collide with it. It was an almost comical sight that reminded Ai of a TV show she had seen not so long ago. He landed on his stomach, arms stretched out, as he tried to keep himself from getting injured. "Ow, that hurt," he moaned, trying to get back up. His right arm caved under him, and he fell back down. Not so funny.

"See? That's exactly what I'm talking about," pointed out Ai. Ryuu stuck his tongue out at her, and she laughed. She almost felt like slipping into his immaturity, and his happy careless attitude. She envied him, his strength, his courage, and his way of living life to the fullest every day. She wished that she could be like him.

"Miyazaki-kun, are you okay?" Camel leaned down to inspect the boy's arm, then shook his head when he looked at the spreading purple bruise. "I think you sprained it. You'll have to let it rest because we don't have ice right now." He took out a long piece of cloth from his pocket, and made a sling for Ryuu. "That should do for the time being." Ryuu looked he was about to throw a temper tantrum, eyebrows furrowed and mouth in a pouty frown.

"Then I have to do it, right, Camel-ojisan?" Ai was tugging on Camel's arm now. She didn't want Ryuu to try breaking in again. She knew how impulsive and determined he was, so it would be no surprise if he hurt his other arm. She didn't want to see him injured again. "I can get in!"

"There's probably a bomb in there, Ai-kun!" protested Ryuu, fire flickering in his emerald eyes. "You can't take apart a bomb! Let me do it!" Even though Ryuu had successfully disabled the bomb in the other cabin, Ai knew that she could have taken care of the job just as easily. You don't grow up in the Black Organization without learning some useful skills. Ai was actually quite surprised that Ryuu was as good as he was. Most ten year old boys didn't know how to disassemble bombs. But of course, his father was probably able to get him some training with the bomb squad since the boy already seemed to have decided his future.

"I'll just ask you for instructions, okay, Ryuu-kun?" She had taken his place on Camel's shoulders, and swung the hammer at the window, causing it to shatter into thousands of glittering pieces of glass. She instinctively leaned back, not wanting to be hit by the flying shards. Hopefully the kids inside had listened to their instructions when they had warned them about the plan.

"But, Ai-kun-"he protested, as she clambered into the cabin, leaving him with his troubled thoughts. Ai was so much more mature and knowledgeable than a first grader should be, and he was fully aware of that. He had known that she had been holding a lot back about her family during their conversation. He was determined to find out what it was.

"Ai-chan!" cried Ayumi, who was tied to Mitsuhiko and Genta with long, thick cords of rope. It was hard to see their faces in the dark, but Ai could tell they hadn't been beaten like her and Ryuu. A cut above her eye still stung from her fight with the woman, Viura. Those cold, _red_ eyes had scared her to the very core. Red wasn't a natural eye color, and it couldn't just be for fashion. A nagging suspicion in the back of her head told her that Viura wasn't a normal person. Maybe not even human. _Don't be ridiculous, Ai! _she told herself, relishing in her new name. _Of course she's human, just different. But it's not that far a step from making people immortal to making them into something else… _The little voice in her head nagged. _Never doubt the Black Organization._

She shook her head to clear it set to work on releasing Ayumi to distract herself from thoughts of the menacing woman. However, the job was over much too quickly, so she started on Genta and Mitsuhiko as well.

"Thanks, Ai-chan!" said Mitsuhiko, stretching. "We'll do everybody else; you came to take care of the bomb, right?" Mitsuhiko's words reminded her of her job. She'd been distracted when she should have been getting to work. She could smell the acrid scent of gasoline. Turning to the door, she saw a small flashing light. The bomb.

As she approached, she saw that it was attached to a timer. There was ten minutes left. She instinctively covered the numbers with her hand, not wanting anybody else to see. It would cause panic for sure. But wait, Viura had said that they had hours, and the bomb in her and Ryuu's cabin had had plenty of time left. Why was this one so much shorter? _Because this would cause greater panic, _she thought. _Because this is the one that people would try to save the kids from first._

_No, Ai! Concentrate! _She forced herself to open up the bomb, and inside was a huge mass of wires that she couldn't even begin to comprehend. She only had very basic knowledge, so this was way beyond her. There wasn't a way she could evacuate all of these kids in time either, since there were over twenty, and Camel could only get one kid out with the rope at a time. _Argh, stupid thoughts, shut up!_

She took out the small blade in her pocket, fortunately she had convinced Ran to buy it for the camping trip, and looked hesitantly at the bomb. Where should she cut first? She had enough experience to know that one wrong wire was enough to detonate it. She would need help. She would need Ryuu.

She ran back to the window, and shouted. "Ryuu-kun, I need your help!" She heard his reply from outside, but it was faint enough to be lost to the outside winds. In less than half a minute, he had jumped into the room.

"What is it, Ai-kun?" he asked, even though he knew the only reason she'd ask for his help would be the bomb.

"This way," she whispered to him, and then in a louder voice, "Camel, toss in the rope! Kids, he'll pull you out." A rope flew in through the window, and the children started fighting for it.

"One at a time!" scolded Ryuu, and the younger children flinched under his cold stare. "There's enough time for everybody to get out."

"About that, Ryuu-kun," she whispered. She showed him the timer, and his eyes lit up in shock. "Do you think you can take this bomb apart in that amount of time?"

He looked over it, inspecting it with a small flashlight he held in his left hand. "I've seen something like this before when I was searching on the internet, but I'm not sure if I can manage this." He knew that if he let it explode by waiting for the time to run out, at least some people would be saved. If he failed in taking it apart correctly, everybody would die. But the only way that he could have a chance at keeping everybody alive would be to disassemble it. "Hand me the knife." His voice quavered, but there was no doubting the determination in his tone.

He clenched the flashlight in his teeth as he set to work. What had that page said again? _Look for the wire that connects to the device that will trigger the explosion. Cut that one first, and then find the part of the bomb that explodes. Cut the wire connecting to that. _It was all he could remember. He carefully sliced through a thin yellow wire that was attached to the timer, waiting to die in what had to be a fiery death. When he didn't, he cut the next wire, a thick blue one, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He had gotten the first two steps right at least.

Ai stood tense beside him, trying to keep from shaking with fear. She looked towards the other kids, who were getting out one by one, to safety. _Good thing Ryuu-kun's left-handed, _she thought gratefully. _Otherwise, we'd be dead. _He paused, unsure of what to do next.

"What's wrong, Ryuu-kun?" she asked him.

"I don't know what to do now," he whispered, eyes blank, body shaking. "I don't know how to take this apart. I can't remember!" He screamed the last words, causing everybody to turn around and look at him. He pointed his gaze to the ground, not wanting to see anybody's face covered in surprise and doubt.

"Nothing's happening over here," Ai said. "You guys should just continue getting out of here." They listened to her instructions, and shifted their gazes to the window, where freedom awaited them. "Ryuu-kun, are you okay?" Was he crying?

"I don't know what to do, Ai-kun. I don't want anybody to die, but I don't know how to save them. I can't believe that I can't even do this." His springtime-colored eyes were now darker, a forest of night, and filled with desperate pleas. His voice was cracking, and he sounded vulnerable, more like a child than the hero he tried to be. She laid her hand on his shoulder.

"Ryuu-kun, nobody expected you to be able to do this, but you have to do what you have to do." She spoke the words without hesitation. "If you don't take it apart, we'll die, and if you mess up, then at least you tried. So please, Ryuu-kun. Please try your hardest." He wiped his tears, and whispered something she barely caught.

"Thank you, Ai-kun."

It had been several minutes since the bullet had pierced the window, and the whole school was in a panic at the mystery shooter. Hakuba still stood protectively over Aoko, who was unconscious, most likely from shock. He heard someone shout, "I can see people fighting! I think it's Kuroba!"

_Impossible! _thought Hakuba, as he ran towards the window. However, he could clearly see two figures brawling a couple hundred feet away, and one of them had an uncanny resemblance to Kuroba Kaito. If it was Kuroba Kaito, then he was definitely in more immediate danger than Aoko.

He headed for the door, despite the teacher's protests. They passed over his unhearing ears as he raced through the hallways, trying to get to the school entrance. He started panting. He'd skipped breakfast this morning out of depression, and he was extremely tired. He leaned against the wall, trying to keep from sliding down.

_Get moving, Saguru, _he commanded himself, starting to run again. _Kuroba might be in danger! Besides, I have to ask him why!_

His legs refused to cooperate however, and the hallways seemed ten times longer than usual. Why did he have to skip breakfast this morning? His sleepless nights since he had betrayed Kaito made doing something as trivial as eating breakfast in the morning unbearable. It just couldn't distract him from the pain.

When he caught his breath again, he started running, but then he'd have to stop again. This cycle repeated over and over until it felt like eternity. When he finally broke through the doors of the school, the scuffle was over.

There was a tall man, with a black cap over his head leaning over another figure. This figure did not move, and Hakuba knew the worst must have happened. That he was dead.

It wasn't until he got closer until he realized the dead man was not Kuroba, but a tall muscular man. He could see the hole in his chest, obviously caused by a bullet. The black-capped man faced him.

"Who are you?" he asked, with an accusing tone to his voice. His eyes chilled Hakuba, but he answered quickly.

"My name is Hakuba Saguru, I'm a detective." There was a hint of pride in his voice as he said this, hiding his surprise and the sadness inside of him.

"You go to this school?" he questioned, not really paying attention to his introduction. This irritated Hakuba.

"Yeah, I do. What about it?" he answered snidely.

"This man shot at a girl, do you know what happened?" It was an endless rally of questions, and Hakuba felt tired of it already.

"She's fine, the bullet hardly grazed her. Who are _you?_" he challenged.

The man chuckled, and answered in English. "Need not to know." As Hakuba was from Britain, he easily understood the line. It was a commonly used police term when they didn't want to give out information. But the knowledge only made him angry.

"There's a man dead at your feet, and you won't even tell me who you are!" he screamed. "Answer me, dammit!" His temper now took over, making his blue eyes flare like fire. The other man didn't even flinch.

"You came over to help the boy who was here, didn't you?" Hakuba wondered how he knew that. "That boy's critically wounded, we're not sure if he'll survive. He has several bullet wounds, and was losing blood quickly."

"Kuroba-kun, he's-" Hakuba hadn't been prepared to hear it. _Kuroba might die. He's losing blood. He got shot. He might die. _He could see it in his head, Kuroba's face, pale and lifeless, his arrogant Kaitou Kid smile turned into a nothing but a thin line. His shirt stained with red, his body unmoving.

"His name's Kuroba? As in the Phantom Thief, Kuroba Kaito?" Interesting, so this man hadn't known who Kaito was. "So that's why Jodie wanted James to keep him secret." He seemed to be talking to himself. "What's your connection to him, Hakuba-kun?"

"I'm his friend- no, I mean rival," he corrected himself. A friend didn't betray a friend. And what had he done? Exactly that.

"You said you were a detective, didn't you? I wouldn't mind some help in my investigation, considering that all of my coworkers just left. You also seem to know the girl that this man had been trying to kill, Nakamori Aoko, and we have no idea why, so maybe you can help clear that up with her. Can I trust you to work with me on this, tantei-san?" His eyes glowed with challenge, so Hakuba was forced to accept.

"I'll do it." Anything to make up for he had done for Kaito. _Just make sure you don't die, Kuroba._

The three teenagers sat tensely in the waiting room, their eyes on the bright red light that read 'In Surgery'. They knew that in that room, Kaito was laying on a cold steel table, balancing on the line between life and death. Ran squeezed her fist tight. _That guy had better make it, _she thought, feeling the circulation to her fingers cut off as she squeezed even tighter, tears starting to go down her face. _Otherwise, what did I kill that man for?_

Kazuha was hugging Heiji tightly, the fear of their new friend causing her to cry too. Heiji's face was set in stone, hard and emotionless. He didn't want to acknowledge the truth that Kaito was most likely going to die. The doctors had given him blood, but his wounds were still terrible. He would need surgery; the operation was supposedly risky and could easily fail.

_The doctors looked shocked at the sight of their patient, who was bleeding to death in front of their eyes. One of them snapped to their senses in time to order in blood and take Kaito to the surgery wing to perform an essential operation. They said that it was probably too late. _

"_He's lost an extreme amount of blood and some of these bullets are near his vital organs," the nurse informed them as the surgeons started working, they could almost hear the tiny noise of the blade slicing through flesh, working to save a life whose time was about to run out. "I can't guarantee anything." She looked queasy; it was obvious that she didn't want to talk about his chances. _

"_What was hit?" asked Heiji in a monotone voice, as if he really didn't care. His blue eyes, usually filled with excitement, were as cold and expressionless as Haibara's, giving nothing away._

"_One bullet hit his liver, and a couple are lodged in his chest, fortunately none of those hit his heart, but some of them are awfully close to his lungs. He's very lucky they aren't pierced." Ran could remember the woman who was that unfortunate. Miyano Akemi, who died of a punctured lung. The second death that had actually hit her hard- the first murder she had seen after Shinichi's. Even if she wasn't a doctor, she knew that a bullet to the liver was deadly. Death seemed to stalk her._

_No more lives lost. _The words echoed in Ran's head once more, filling her thought. _Nobody else will die. No more death. _So what would happen if the doctor came out and announced Kaito had died? Would she fall to pieces, just like she had when Inspector Megure had called her that night, telling her Shinichi had been murdered?

She wondered how Shinichi ever got used to the death around him. The taking of a life for revenge, for anger, for selfish intentions. How could he stand it? She couldn't even handle the thought. She had never really felt sympathetic for others when murders were announced on the news, but now she knew how it felt to have somebody important taken from you like that. One bullet, one thrust of a blade, one dose of poison, and they were gone.

_I've never gotten used to it, Ran. _He answered her quiet thoughts. _It's terrible and it hurts me every time, but I want to have people know the truth. Everybody has the right to know who took away their precious person. I believe in that. It's why I became a detective._

When he was alive, he had never shown the emotion he was speaking of now. His face had always been fearless, proud and arrogant when he let out the answer to his deductions, seemingly treating the murder as a game. He would point at the criminal, and make them confess. He had never seemed depressed by the crime in front of him.

_When I started, I wasn't really affected by it. I really did almost think of it as a game, a puzzle I could solve. But as I got older, I started to see more than just the weapon and the method; I saw the feelings behind it. It turned my game into real life, and that's when I realized what being a detective really meant. _

She remembered that day before he died, where he had been blabbing on and on about how great being a detective was.

"_Once you start, you can't stop!" he said, winking at her. "That's the feeling of being a detective!" _

What was the feeling he was talking about? Ran couldn't tell which aspect of being a detective that he had been trying to convey to her that day. The thrill of adrenaline and the pride of knowing he was correct? Or was it that he could bring justice to the deceased? Shinichi was still a mystery to her, a locked box with no key. She imagined that he felt the same way about her from time to time.

_You wouldn't even be able to imagine, _he chuckled, giving her a moment of respite from her worries. _You're like Pandora's Box._

_Are you saying it would be a bad thing for me to spill out all of my secrets? _Ran asked curiously.

_Maybe, maybe not. I just know that I probably shouldn't pry, even if you can't attack me with karate anymore._ It was amazing how he could choose the words he knew could comfort her, could almost make her smile in a situation like this. She was so glad that Shinichi was still with her, still her's.

_Good point. _

The slamming of a door broke into their conversation, and Ran saw a calm-faced surgeon heading towards them. A mask covered his expression, hiding the answer they were all waiting for. She could hardly breathe; hardly hold herself still through the pressure. It was an endless moment, until he finally opened his mouth.

"The operation succeeded," he announced, and they all cheered. However, his face didn't seem happy, and instantly Ran began to worry. "However, his life might still be at risk."

"What?" asked Kazuha, shocked. "But, if the surgery went well, then how is his life still at risk?" Ran was confused as well; she didn't really pay attention at all to the medical explanations Shinichi often gave of cases and Health class didn't cover these types of situations. Shinichi was saying something, but she couldn't hear it over the roar of blood in her head. The need to protect something. Heiji pulled his hat forward, hiding his face. He knew why.

"He was hit in several vital spots. It's a miracle that he survived your drive to the hospital. He's currently on a respirator because his breathing pattern was extremely irregular. We did everything we could, but only luck can help him now." He didn't look them in the eye, didn't want to see the despair in there, didn't want to see the pain.

"Bu-But," started Ran, who was starting to break out into tears. She had killed Calvados to save Kaito, ended his life to save another. How could it be justified if Kaito didn't survive?

Kazuha was wrapped up in Heiji's arms again, trying to find comfort from the news. He held her tight and whispered words of optimism, but she could tell they were forced. Heiji didn't believe that Kaito would live.

"If he's still alive tomorrow morning, you can visit him." His unspoken words could be heard as well. _So you can see your friend one last time before he dies. _

_I'm so sorry, Ran, _apologized Shinichi, as if it was his fault.

_You shouldn't be sorry. I didn't save him fast enough. If he dies, then I'll have murdered two people. _Ran still clung to the last thread of hope, still wishing in her heart, that Kaito would make it.

She felt invisible arms squeeze her tight, giving her warmth and strength, and then the weight vanished much too quickly. _Sometimes, all we can do is hope for the best._

_*_What did you think? Was it a good chapter? Did I miss something? Review, review, review please! I really love them, and they'd only take up five seconds max of your time. Thanks for reading! Hopefully, I can get the chapter up next week, if not, then please wait patiently. Some cool fanfics to read while you're waiting (my absolute favs) are 'I'm Already There' by Becky Tailweaver, which has me cry every time I read it, and I've read it over ten times. 'Relative Truth' by Becky Tailweaver, which is beyond amazing. And last but not least, 'What You're Lost, What Can You Lose?' by LostintheDreams, who happens to be my betareader now. Huge applause for her, and see you hopefully next Sunday!*


	39. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

*Author's Note: I am partially skipping breakfast to put this up, and I had to beg my mom to get on the computer last night so I could edit chapter 38, which has actually been typed out for the past week and a half. Luckily, my editor managed to catch most of the mistakes the first time, so here it is, two days early. Chapter 39 isn't finished yet, so you'll probably have to wait another week. Sorry! I hope you enjoy this chapter, I worked hard! Please help make this chapter the one that receives the 50th review! I already have 47, so please help!*

The three teenagers were huddled in the living room of the spacious house. The doctor had told them to go home for the night instead of staying in the hospital, waiting to see what would become of the person they had all risked their lives for. The person who had risked his own life to save his friend. They hadn't been allowed to see him after he had been taken into the surgery wing or even when he was put into recovery. They sat in almost total silence, waiting for the phone to ring or preferably for exhaustion to overcome them.

Ran sat numbly on the leather couch where Kaito had rested the first day she had met him. A memory of him smiling, no matter how fake it was, came to her mind. How could he be dying? He had been so full of energy, so full of willpower and determination; it was mind-blowing to think that he could die just like any other person, and so quickly when he'd been well just hours before. He reminded her of Shinichi in looks and spirit, and she knew that he was someone else's Shinichi. Ran knew that person would feel as lonely as she did when he was first taken from her. She looked desperately at her hands, wishing she had to power to save him.

Kazuha stared blankly at the ground, her emerald orbs unseeing. She looked as if she too were trapped inside her own world, face covered in grief and disbelief. Heiji never took his eyes off of the phone, one arm around Kazuha to make sure she didn't fall over. He knew what would probably happen. That any second, the phone would ring and bring the devastating news, the announcement of death.

Even Shinichi was silent, holding a stoic demeanor to hide his true thoughts. He had become skilled at doing this over the past month, so well that he could hide most of what he was thinking from Ran, because she probably didn't want to hear what he was thinking anyways. The two detectives after all, had the same foreboding thoughts in their minds.

Finally, Kazuha broke the silence, lifting some of the tension that had settled around them. "Do you think we should tell that girl?" Her voice was unsure, quavering from the harsh reality of death and the strength it took to ask her question. Her eyes looked into Heiji's, showing no trace of curiosity, only sadness.

"Do you mean the girl he was talking about? Aoko?" answered Heiji, who looked relieved that Kazuha seemed to have regained some of her energy.

"Yeah, her." Her eyes traveled back to the ground. "I think if he's going to die, then she should at least get a chance to see him again. You would have wanted that chance, wouldn't you, Ran-chan?" Ran was startled for a moment. She didn't like the reminder of Shinichi's death when she was already hurting for another person. Shinichi may have been with her, but the pain of that day would never fade- along with the anguish she would feel when she lost him again. She didn't want any more death.

"I'd have liked that, but I think it would have made it hurt worse. To know that somebody, your most important somebody, is going to die, but being unable to do anything about it- I'm not sure if I'd have the courage to want to find out." Her azure eyes spoke with honestly as warm, watery tears spilled from her eyes. She could imagine herself in the scenario Kazuha was setting up, thinking what would have happened if she hadn't lost Shinichi the instant he was poisoned- knowing Shinichi was going to die, watching his last moments, she couldn't even bear the thought. Why should they push it onto another person?

On the other hand, Kazuha was right. That girl, Nakamori Aoko, did deserve a chance to say something to him if she wanted. Deserved a chance to say good-bye, before everything she cherished slipped away. It was them, the Black Organization that had caused this giant mess. Three-no four- people were already ensnared in their net. They had killed Shinichi, her most precious person, Ai had lost her sister, the only person that had ever mattered to her, Kaito had lost his father, his mentor and role model and now he was balancing on the fine line between life and death. Kazuha and Heiji were just unlucky and kind enough to get caught in the hardship and pain.

She wondered why they bothered, why they didn't just leave before something terrible happened to them. She wouldn't blame them if they ran away; she wished that she could. Just run away and forget her problems, forget about all of the dying. But if they left, she didn't think she could hold herself together. She needed somebody on the outside who _knew _about her situation and what had to be done, and help her live on after everything was over. She almost couldn't stand living at the detective agency anymore, especially when Ai wasn't around; the only time she actually went home was to sleep, but she even did that reluctantly. Her dad wasn't part of this, not part of the danger that they had been placed in, and she was going to keep it that way. Shinichi just wasn't enough company anymore; most of her problems seem to involve something with his death anyways.

"Maybe we should tell her." Kazuha's words pierced through the whirlwind of thoughts, giving Ran a chance to escape her own twisted reality. "She doesn't have to go to see him; I just want her to know."

"Kazuha." Heiji laid his other hand on her shoulder when the emotions made her freeze up again. His face was gentle, a smile forming on his lips. "If you want to tell her, then I'm game with anything you say. But I want you to think this over carefully; you may end up hurting somebody."

"I know Heiji, which is why I have to do it now before I change my mind." She stood up almost defiantly and walked across the room to the front door.

"How will you find her, Kazuha-chan?" asked Ran, surprised at her friend's sudden actions. "You don't have her address." Kazuha looked back sheepishly.

"Kuroba-kun left his cell phone on the kitchen table. He had her address in the contacts list," she admitted, sounding guilty.

"Then can't you just call her?" Heiji pointed out, looking slightly nervous.

"I think some things need to be said in person. I don't think the girl would like some stranger calling her on the phone and just saying 'You're best friend's about to die, sorry'." Ran remembered how she learned about Shinichi's murder, just a phone call from Inspector Megure. _"I'm sorry, Ran-kun. Kudo-kun's been found murdered…" _Would she have preferred it if somebody told her in person? How would she have taken that? With the phone, she had just stood there shocked, waiting for somebody to wake her up. Somebody telling you, face to face, made it real.

_I think Tooyama's right, Ran. _Shinichi finally spoke, his voice strong. _If our situation had been reversed, I think I'd rather somebody come up to me and say it. If it was a phone call, then I'd probably never believe it. _

She knew that some part of her agreed with him, and the other just wanted to stop Kazuha. The part that agreed with Shinichi won. "I'll go with you, Kazuha-chan." She took two jackets from the coat hanger, and handed one to Kazuha. "It's chilly outside."

She nodded, and the three of them walked out into the cold, starry night.

Ryuu could feel Ai's warm breath on his shoulder as she leaned over him, watching his left hand skillfully cut the wires. It helped calm him and give him courage to continue to the next cord, and the next, the memories coming back to him. He could remember the leader of the bomb squad, helping direct his hand over a fake bomb, showing him how to disassemble it.

"_Here you cut the blue one." He nodded in approval as Ryuu sliced through the blue cable with a successful snap."And next the yellow."_

The colors were different, but he could recall their positions and he started feeling more confident. His eyes looked at the timer. "One minute left," he whispered to himself, almost mesmerized by the number going down to 59, then 58, 57, 56… _Snap out of it, Ryuu! Focus, you only have seconds left!_

He felt Ai grip his shoulder and could tell she was worried. He was starting to feel the pressure again, and he could taste blood in his mouth. He hadn't been aware he was biting his lip. Managing to keep his hand from shaking, he cut through the last few wires. Hopefully that had been it. If it hadn't, they were in major trouble.

There were only about seven kids left now, not including Ai and Ryuu. The three elementary students Genta, Mitsuhiko, and Ayumi were among them, watching Ryuu with nervous eyes. The rope flew in through the window once again, ready for the next climber. "You go," Ayumi invited a girl about her age, who looked like she was about to cry, to be the next one out. "Come on, don't be shy." She smiled, and the girl grabbed the rope tight as it started to pull her up.

Ai looked back at them, frightened for their safety. If the bomb exploded, she didn't want them to be caught in the flames. Not them, not her first friends. They stared back confused, not sure what to make of the expression in Ai's blue eyes. Her gaze flashed back to the timer, and she counted down the last ten seconds.

_10…_

_9… _A snap.

_8…_

_7…_

_6…_

_5… _ A whispered prayer as Ryuu closed his eyes.

_4…_

_3…_

_2… _ _Please, _she thought. _Please._

_1… _She closed her eyes and waited for the worst.

_0._

Everything was still. She opened one eye and waited. Maybe the timer was off; maybe the bomb was still going to explode. She and Ryuu sat without breathing, watching the small parcel in front of them, waiting for it to burst into flames.

"Ai-kun, I did it," he stuttered out, emerald eyes widening. "Ai-kun, I did it!" He turned around and hugged her, voice trembling with excitement. He laughed as he spun in circles, holding her. She laughed with him, overjoyed with that fact that they had been successful, even if nobody else in the room would understand, since they had no idea how close to death they had been. He had just saved them; he had just saved their lives.

"Congratulations, Ryuu-kun." Her smile was wider than it had ever been, even more than the one she put on for her friends. It was a silent victory for both of them, but it was still victory.

Aoko was back in her room after being thoroughly questioned by both Hakuba and the police. She was tired, exhausted after today's ordeals. They had been trying to get answers she herself didn't know. Why had that man been after her? Did she know him? Why, why, why?

She groaned into her pillow, it had been a very long day. To tell the truth, she had hardly been aware of the incident when it had happened.

_The girl's dark-brown hair shadowed her face, and the little red laser was visible on the streak of light that shined on it. He pulled the trigger._

_She was tired; she had hardly any sleep the night before, when she had sneaked out to meet Kaito in the moonlight. -She could remember every detail of his face, every word that they had exchanged, and the feel of his arms wrapping around her, even if it was only for a few seconds.- She leaned forward on her elbow in exhaustion. At that moment, she felt a sharp pain on the back of her head, followed by the sounds of screams and breaking glass. She fell unconscious._

She recalled how last night Kaito had told about the men that were after him, but she didn't give away his secret to the police. She had promised him she wouldn't tell anybody. Could it be that the mystery shooter was part of the organization he talked about? Could it be they were targeting her? She shivered in fear, and then relaxed. If they were after her, then maybe they weren't after Kaito. That gave her some relief.

She snuggled under her blankets, hoping to find sleep. Just when the comforting black mist was about to take her in, a knock on the door dissipated the fog of fatigue. She heard voices talking to her father, who she knew was pacing worriedly on the first floor still, after being called out of work with the news that she'd been shot. Footsteps sounded from the hard wooden stairs, and headed towards her room. The door opened, letting in a stream of golden light from the hallway. She sat up groggily.

There were three teenagers, one was a boy with almost no emotion on his face, and the other two girls looked very, very nervous. She turned on the lamp on her bedside table, and beckoned them in.

"Who are you?" she asked them, looking into their eyes. Yawning, she stretched a little bit. Something told her she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep after this.

"My name is Tooyama Kazuha," said the teenage girl with her hair up in a ponytail. "This is Hattori Heiji, and she's Mouri Ran." As she spoke, Heiji locked the door. Aoko stared with a inquisitive look at the group who had just locked them all in her room with each other, Kazuha answered her unspoken questions, "I don't want your dad to hear what we have to say."

"Is it that bad?" she said almost sarcastically. She hadn't had a good day, and a grumpy mood was starting to set over her. Kazuha bit her lip, and tried to smile.

"It's that bad." She looked down at the floor, as if she didn't know where to start.

"You're friends with Kuroba Kaito, correct?" Heiji took Kazuha's place in explaining, willing to be the one who might hurt the girl. He didn't want that on Kazuha's conscience. Aoko nodded, wondering what these three could possibly know about him. "You met with him last night, didn't you?"

She looked surprised. "How did you know that?" Her eyebrows furrowed in suspicion and she frowned at the dark-skinned boy.

"I'm a detective," he answered, tapping his head. "When Kuroba came back last night with the jewel, I knew something was off. I guessed it was about you, but he wouldn't tell me. Did he _explain _anything to you?" There was a weird emphasis on 'explain' and Aoko knew he was talking about the organization.

"He explained a lot of things to me. But he didn't mention anybody else other than his father. What do you have to do with them?"

"We don't have time for this right now, Hattori-kun," intervened Ran, a furious look on her face. As she turned to Aoko her voice softened, but her expression never wavered. "We came here to tell you something important, because you may never have a chance to see Kuroba-kun alive again." Aoko paled, and she backed up into the head of her bed.

"You're joking right?" she accused, unwilling to believe the girl's words. "Of course I'll see Kaito again, he promised me he'd come back. He promised."

"_Promise me you'll be there Kaito," she had said only the night before. It felt like a lifetime. "I will," he swore, a determined smile on his face._

"It wasn't his choice. He knew you were in danger, so he went to Ekoda High School to check up on you. He ran into the sniper, and was shot several times. He's in the hospital right now but he- he's not doing so well." Ran's words were nearly inaudible, and Aoko had to strain her ears to hear it, she still couldn't believe it. Her mind started putting the pieces together, but they refused to fit. 'Kaito' and 'dead' didn't belong in the same sentence. Neither did 'Kaito' and 'dying'. It couldn't be true.

"Stop with the lies." She was crying, and tears were coming down her face. "I know Kaito will be alright. He promised me, and I believe him."

"He's still alive, but the doctors say he might not even hold on till morning. We came to give you a chance to see him if you want to." She could hear no trace of trickery in Ran's voice, only blatant honesty. Aoko wanted to shut everything out, curl up under her covers and wake up from this nightmare, but she knew that she should be strong. Strong enough to handle any situation that came at her. She'd already betrayed the police to save her best friend, there wasn't anything she wasn't willing to do.

"I-" she started, face shadowed by her long brown hair. "I want to see him. But he won't die. Because he promised." She still clung to her last bit of hope. What would she possibly do without Kaito? The past few days had been a rollercoaster ride. The revealing of Kid's-no Kaito's- identity, her finding him at his house, confessing her love, and somebody shooting at her during school- things that had changed her life. Now she was told that he was hurt, maybe dying, her most precious person.

Heiji looked at her, sympathy in his eyes. He had long given up on the belief that Kaito would make it. Being a detective meant being logical, even when the truth hurt more than anything.

"Then follow us," said Kazuha, unlocking and opening the door. "He's at a hospital at the edge of Beika; it'll only take fifteen minutes if we can get a fast taxi."

When they finally arrived at the hospital, they charged through the doors and demanded to see Kaito. "Let us see him!" protested Aoko, looking ready to kill when they refused. "Please!"

"His doctor said no visitors until morning." The man at the reception desk looked extremely frightened at the sight of four angry teenagers. "I'm sorry but you'll have to wait until then."

"Let them in," said a gruff voice, and Ran recognized the man as the doctor who had helped Kaito. "They need to hear the news anyways." His tone said it wasn't good news. And if it wasn't good news, then that had to mean…

Aoko refused to let herself believe it. Maybe Kaito had just come down with a slight cold after waking up. He wasn't- he wasn't…

As they walked down the too brightly lit hallways, the doctor started what he had to say. "Your friend, well, you see, he woke up." The doctor himself sounded slightly surprised, and the four teenagers breathed small sighs of relief. "His breathing pattern is back to normal, and it looks like he'll be out of here in a couple of weeks if all goes well." Even though this should have made them happy, they could tell he was hiding something behind his words. The bad news.

The doctor opened up the door, letting them into a small room where Kaito was sitting up on a hospital cot. His eyes stared blankly in front of him, lacking their usual sparkle. He showed no indication that he had heard them come in, or any sign of recognition as he turned to face them.

"Kaito!" Aoko burst into tears and ran forward to embrace him. His face changed into surprise, and then hostility.

"Who are you?" he asked, looking suspiciously at Aoko before she reached him, a frown on his usually smiling face. There was no trace of the usual arrogance he carried with him or anything that signaled normal 'Kaito' behavior.

"He seems to have lost his memory," uttered the doctor, staring at the ground, not meeting the eyes of the shell-shocked teenagers. "He can't remember anything from before he woke up." Four pairs of eyes widened in shock.

"Kuroba-kun lost his memory?" Kazuha exclaimed. "But-but why?"

"We believe it's due to physical and psychological trauma," informed the doctor. "When he was shot, the pain must have been excruciating, and mixed with the thought that he was about to die, his brain just couldn't find a way to cope with it, and boom! His memory's gone."

Kaito just stared coldly at his four visitors, not knowing what else to do. He didn't know who they were, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know. The only things that he could remember were this room, and that he was hurt. Nothing else.

"Do you think he can get it back?" asked Aoko, sounding absolutely desperate as tears started running down her face. She wiped them off. Why was she crying so much today? Maybe it was just because everything seemed to hurt, including the burning tracks that the tears left behind.

Some part of Kaito's brain realized that she was crying for _him_ and he felt extremely bad, but he didn't know why. He may not have been able to remember anything, but he wasn't stupid.

"Who am I?" The question had just suddenly come to him, as he realized he didn't even know anything about himself. "How did I get here?" Heiji looked surprised at the strong teenager, the amazing Kaitou Kid saying such things, making him sound weak. Childish. Vulnerable.

"Your name is Kuroba Kaito," started Aoko, in an almost pleading tone. "You go-went- to Ekoda High School. You're in eleventh grade, and you're a magician. You love pulling pranks on people, and you miss your father. You're a great skier, a really smart kid, and you absolutely stink at ice skating. You're afraid of fish, and you won't even stand to be within three feet of them. Once, I tried to scare you using a salmon, and you had a total freak out." She smiled a little bit at the memory. In a quieter voice that nobody else could hear but Kaito, she added, "You're Kaitou Kid, the amazing Phantom Thief. You want to avenge the death of your father, Kuroba Toichi. You want to find Pandora to lure out the organization that killed him. And you said you liked me, just last night. Do you really not remember, Kaito?"

Her voice rung with such sadness, such dire need for an answer, that he sat with his mouth gaping. He tried so hard to recall even just a bit of what she said. He couldn't remember anything. "Argh!" He hit his forehead hard. "I can't do it. I can't remember anything." He put emphasis on each word, closing his eyes as he struggled through a mist of exhaustion, pain, and confusion.

"Kuroba, do you remember getting shot? Do you remember a fight?" asked Heiji, bending over so he was eye-level with the magician. Heiji tried to find just a trace of the boy he had known in those eyes, those unknowing, bright-blue eyes. He only saw weakness, confusion, fear, and docility. Even if Kuroba had been a jerk at times, it was better than this.

"I think I can remember seeing blood. And a loud noise- it might have been a gun. But other than that and this room, I can't think of anything. I'm sorry." He looked like a lost child, unknowing and frightened, suspicious even of the four others in the room since he couldn't even tell if they were here to help him or hurt him. They were strangers, people who seemed to know him even though he thought he'd never seen their faces before. Staring blankly at the ground, he directed his gaze away from theirs not wanting to face those questioning looks that wanted answers he couldn't give. He wanted to run away and hide.

Aoko never thought Kaito could be like this. She wanted to hug him and hear him repeat his promise again, that he would be there for her. He seemed like a stranger, but he was still Kaito. Or at least she hoped there was still a trace of him.

She wiped away the last of her tears, and made a promise to herself. _You've always been there for me, Kaito. Always strong, someone I could depend on in the worst of times. It's my turn; I'll be there for you._

_*Author's Note: Please review! Please review! (why is this italicized? cuz I'm too lazy to turn it off right now.) I have five minutes to catch my bus, so I have to rush. Hopefully see you soon! ~Aeyra*_


	40. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

*Kaito lost his memory? Well, yeah, and it doesn't look like he'll be getting it back for a while. Aoko's trying to help him; but he doesn't even remember her! How will this possibly turn out? I got a snow day today! I'm so happy! I finally posted my Ryuu Miyazaki drawing on DeviantArt. The Link is Iluvshadowclaw. Deviantart. com without the spaces, fanfiction killed it the first time... Tell me what you think of my drawing(s). (I posted a Kaitou Kid drawing I drew.) Onto chapter 39! Please review!*

"It seems that he can still remember all of the necessities like how to speak and walk. We call this retrograde, traumatic amnesia," said the doctor, explaining Kaito's condition. "He can't remember anything other than those. I've seen this kind of thing before, and the majority of the patients each regained their memories. The only strange thing is that he doesn't seem to have a brain injury which is what usually causes memory loss. I have to assume that there are other problems at work here, such as stress or pain."

"The majority?" echoed Aoko, an accusing tone in her voice. She had stayed by Kaito's side all morning and afternoon, even if he showed no sign of recognition. There was no way she was leaving him.

"Well, you see, sometimes the patients are too afraid to regain their memories, but they are still able to lead normal lives, so there's nothing keeping him from doing that." He smiled at her, trying to cheer her up, but he didn't know that this was Kaitou Kid. That he would never be able to live a normal life with or without his memory. That if he tried to reenter society, he'd be arrested and locked up for being a thief.

"How can we help him get it back?" asked Heiji, who had stayed with Aoko throughout the day when Ran and Kazuha left for school- 'left' being a lenient term, the more accurate description was that he forced them to go to school. He literally had to shove them all the way out of the hospital. Rubbing his left cheek, he remembered how hard Ran had kicked him when he said he was staying, giving them the pathetic excuse that their grades would drop if they didn't go. He just didn't want the two girls involved in breaking everything to Aoko once she stopped worrying about Kaito enough to ask.

"If you think he has any good memories that might be triggered if he were to visit a place or person that means something to him, then you can try those. But you shouldn't force him to remember, it could damage his psyche even more." Kaito was sitting cross-legged on a chair near them, eyes pointing towards the floor. He had rested during the morning, but was still tired. The doctors had said he'd stay that way for the next week or so. His left arm was wrapped in a cast, and his core was covered in bandages which hid a row of stitches from the surgery.

He looked up at the mention of good memories and then closed his eyes as if trying to recall something, something just on the edge of his conscious mind that he reached for. When they opened again, the light faded.

"Kaito, did you think of something?" asked Aoko, staring intensely at him. He blinked a little, surprised by the force behind her gaze, and then gave a small nod, his messy dark-brown bangs bobbing up and down.

"I'm not sure if this counts as a memory, but I think I remember snow, and skiers. I think I remember seeing you there." He cocked his head to one side, making sure that was all there was of that particular moment that stood out to him. "That's it though."

"I think it was the school field trip to the ski resort," said Aoko, excitement in her voice. "The class had a contest for the best costume and skiing pair. You and I were dressed up as Kaitou Kid and a princess and we won. I never thought I'd win a skiing contest because I didn't know how to ski, but you partnered with me even though Akako was originally your partner. It was nice of you because I knew how much Fujie-kun wanted to be partnered with her, so you traded. You did a flip holding me while we were going down the mountain to impress the judges. Can you remember that part?" She thought about Kaito holding her tight as he jumped, the wind blowing her hair, his cool, arrogant smile as he showed off his skill. His flamboyant white suit, her beautiful dress. His Kaitou Kid outfit had been replaced with a hospital gown, helping create the illusion of a completely different person from that time a couple of months before.

He looked confused for a second and closed his bright blue irises behind tightly sealed eyelids. He blinked them open, smiling a little. "I think I can remember some of it. You were in a dress, right? And I was in a white tux, with a white top hat too…" His tone was so funny, so innocent, that she would have laughed if the situation wasn't so tragic.

"That's right Kaito!" Aoko wanted to hug him tight, but she wasn't sure how he'd receive it. She was afraid of the thought of rejection, even if Kaito didn't seem to know her anymore, and it was only natural for him to be nervous around her. "You were dressed as Kaitou Kid, the internationally wanted, infamous thief!"

"Didn't you say I was him last night?" he asked, looking a little frightened. "Does that mean I'm some sort of criminal?" His eyes were open wide like a child's, trying to learn new things. The doctor looked a little surprised when Kaito said he was Kaitou Kid, but then gave a small chuckle. James had warned him his patient was 'special'.

"I don't think you're a bad guy, Kaito, even if you've done some bad things. We all have at one time or another," Aoko whispered, trying to banish the fear from his eyes. "You were doing it for a good reason too. You were trying to avenge your father who was the previous Kaitou Kid."

"My father," he stuttered out, the puzzled look taking over once more. It made Aoko sad to see that face, covered in such candidness; she would do anything to bring back the real Kaito, her thieving, idiot prankster magician. "My father was a criminal too? Who was he? You mentioned him, and some kind of organization. I want to know more about them."

Their roles had truly been reversed, Aoko now the storyteller and Kaito the listener. It had only been last night when he had told her absolutely _everything_, but at least she had known parts of it beforehand. Kaito had nothing, not even knowledge of himself. _How many times will I have to keep myself from crying? _thought Aoko. _How many times will I have to go through _this_ in a single day?_ She had been doing the same routine all afternoon; explaining something to Kaito, watching his face either brighten up in excitement, or dim in disappointment. Each time without fail, she would fall victim to misery.

"Your dad was a world famous magician by the name of Kuroba Toichi. He was the one who taught you magic, and you grew up to love the art. He was killed during magic show when one of his tricks went wrong. At least, it seemed that way. You didn't tell me how he was killed, so I don't know either. Your dad was kind, smart, funny, and a lot of other good things too." Kaito smiled, and then closed his eyes, basking in the memories of days long gone that he could only picture as he relived them the way they were described.

"Why was he a thief?" he pried, wanting more details as if Aoko were reading a book to him. "Do you know why?"

"Sorry Kaito, I have no idea why. Maybe he enjoyed being a Phantom Thief because he loved magic so much. Maybe there was another reason. But I don't know." For a moment Aoko thought she saw Kaito's old pouty face, the one he made when she didn't agree with his requests.

"Go on," he said. "I want to hear about that Organization." She looked around and noticed that Heiji had disappeared as well as the doctor, leaving her and Kaito alone in the small, cold room.

"I'll just tell you like you told me…"

"Is Kuroba-kun any better?" asked Kazuha as she ran into Heiji in the lobby. Her face was flushed red from running almost straight from Mouri Detective Agency where she had stopped with Ran.

"Well, he managed to remember part of a ski trip, but I'm not really sure if he's connecting what he hears to reality. He's treating it more like a fairy tale of some sort." It was what Heiji really thought was happening. What he saw was a boy trying to recollect a story that he had read before, but not really treating it as too important. In a sense, it was true, but some part of him knew the teen was struggling for the life he had known.

"Can somebody please tell me what's going on?" asked a voice from below. Heiji leaned down until he was eye level with Ai who was obviously in a bad mood. He managed to keep himself from jumping back. "I was dragged here without warning from the Detective Office, and all they'll do is worry over that Kuroba-kun."

"You see, while you were gone Kaito was shot by a member from the BO." They had decided that Black Organization sounded too conspicuous, so they shortened it to two letters, something that could stand for anything.

Her mouth widened at the mention of the syndicate, but she managed to keep the rest of her fierce expression intact. "So what happened after that? It's pretty obvious he isn't dead."

"He lost his memory once he woke up after surgery, so we got his girlfriend here so we could try to get him to remember."

Now she was pissed, already in a bad mood when she had been dropped off by Camel and left alone with nothing to do in the office.

"You told somebody else the secret?" If she was her original size, she would have seized Heiji by the collar and shook him until he was half dead. Instead, she was stuck with throwing a temper tantrum. "How dare you, without my permission-" Ran picked up the screaming Ai before she could injure the Osakan teenager who had given into his instincts and was backing away quickly.

"We didn't give away anything, Ai-chan. Last night, the doctor's said that Kaito had just about no chance at recovery, so we wanted to let Aoko-chan see him one last time. However, when we got to her house, I think she might have already known about the BO. She didn't ask who had hurt Kaito, something that I probably would have done if somebody told me Shinichi had just been shot. She _knew_. When we got to the hospital, he had already woken up. So there's no reason to get mad at anybody, Ai-chan." Ran's eyes were gentle; she had started thinking of herself as Ai's older sister. Not a replacement for Akemi, but somebody who might be able to help the suffering girl in her stead.

Ai stopped struggling, but it didn't stop her temper. "But that means _somebody_ told her, doesn't it? And who is that somebody?"She managed to wriggle out of Ran's tight hold on her waist, and started attacking Heiji with more questions.

"Probably Kuroba himself. I'm not sure to what extent he told her about them though; I doubt he said anything about you or Mouri here. He respects our secrets enough for that." _Please don't explode on me! Please don't explode on me! _he thought pleadingly as he watched Ai's expression slowly change.

The loud, ringing sound of laughter cut through the air. For a second, Heiji couldn't locate it, but then he saw Ai's wide smile. _This girl. _He mentally smacked his forehead. _The way she changes so much is scary._

"You look so funny when you're like that, Heiji-niichan!"she said in her high-pitched kid voice, as she looked slightly behind her and Heiji could see why she had suddenly changed. Her friends were here.

"Ai-chan!" called Ayumi, followed by Mitsuhiko, Genta, and surprisingly, Ryuu. "Mouri-ojisan you were here at the hospital!" She embraced her in a full-out hug, in which Ai returned with true enthusiasm.

"Hello, Ai-chan, Mitsuhiko-kun, Genta-kun," she acknowledged them, then turned to Ryuu. "Ryuu-kun, why are you here?"

"What, you didn't want me?" he joked, pretending to sound hurt. But his bright happy green eyes betrayed him. "I was going to your house as well and ran into these guys." He ruffled their hair; made easy by the fact that he was half a foot taller than them.

"Your parents actually let you leave the house after that?" she asked, imagining who in the world would let go of their child right after they had been held hostage in a bomb-filled cabin.

"Well, I managed to sneak out." When her expression turned to disapproval, he added, "I left a note on the kitchen table. Hopefully my mom and dad won't kill me when I get back home." He let out nervous laughter as Ai glared at him.

"Who's this, Ai-chan?" asked Kazuha curiously, peering at Ryuu. "A new friend of yours?"

"I'm Miyazaki Ryuu," he answered before Ai opened her mouth. "I met Ai-kun during the weekend camp. It turns out we both go to Teitan Elementary, but I'm her senpai by three years; I'm in fourth grade."

"Speaking of the weekend camp, Haibara," said Heiji, cutting into the pleasant introductions. "We didn't get any details about it from the people who helped rescue you." He had almost said F.B.I. "Can you tell us more about it?" A.K.A. Tell us how _they_ were involved.

Ai couldn't say no in front of her friends or else it would look suspicious. Instead she mouthed the words, 'I'll tell you most of it later' and started into a little kid narrative. "There were two bad guys, the camp counselor and the park ranger. They kidnapped us and put us into a big, dark, scary cabin. Me and Ryuu-kun fought them, but they beat us up and put us in a different room. The women said there were bombs, and then left. Camel-ojisan rescued us, and then Ryuu-kun disassembled the bomb. It was really scary!" Ayumi and the other two, Genta and Mitsuhiko, seemed content with Ai's explanation, but Ryuu's expression showed he was convinced that Ai was holding back the gravity of the situation. This was not her; the real Ai managed to stay calm and in control during the incident, and she was fully aware of the kidnapping bomb scheme, perhaps more than him.

_That's not what you sound like, Ai-kun, _he thought. _You never act like a little kid, only when other people are watching you. Why is that? What are you hiding? _Nobody noticed his eyebrows furrowing skeptically as he tried to work out the enigma called Haibara Ai. Even if they did, they would never have guessed that he would find the answer.

A knock came from the door, a loud metallic banging sound. Vermouth knew only one person could behind that knock. "Come in, Viura." With a slight creaking noise, the woman slipped in like a shadow with a devious smile on her face. Vermouth wasn't scared of anything, but this woman would make even the devil himself uncomfortable.

"I suppose you've heard the news already. That those kids managed to escape the cabin." The voice was a seducing hiss, and her red eyes flickered like fire, except there was no trace of warmth in that gaze. It was more like ice, cold, piercing ice. "I'm in a bit of a pinch for not implementing a bomb that couldn't be disrupted. Who would have thought that boy could disassemble bombs?" She grinned, showing her two pointed teeth, much longer and sharper than a normal person's. She'd seen the damage those _fangs_ could do. "You'll drop in a good word for me when you see the boss, right?"

"I doubt you need it," answered Vermouth, hiding her fear behind a long practiced and often used Poker Face. It had been several years since the woman in front of her was created, and each and every time she was frightened by that sadistic smile and those chilling crimson eyes. "After all, he likes you just as much as me." She pulled out a cigarette and lighter to hide her stress, and then took a long drag as Viura considered her words.

"But it's better to play it safe, isn't it? I don't want to get locked up for any amount of time; it was bad enough growing up here." Her eyes were hypnotizing, seeming to spin in endless circles like a serpent's, pulling Vermouth in deeper and deeper…

"Fine, I'll do it!" Vermouth carefully peeled her gaze from the other woman's, making sure she didn't keep looking into those alluring red orbs. Viura snickered, a sound full of malice.

"Good thing you agreed, otherwise I wouldn't be able to assure that nothing would happen to you." She heard the sound of Viura licking her lips, and pulling her forked tongue over her long pointed teeth. "I feel a little more venomous today!" She gave a laugh, and then exited the room.

Vermouth recalled what she knew about Viura; the young, seemingly normal woman. But she knew what was behind that smile. A creation, an attempt to develop a super human, the first of an army they were striving for. So far, Viura's health seemed fine, the tests produced stable results, and her abilities in both intellect and fighting were superb. She would be made a soldier when the time came.

_I have a new goal for this Organization, my dear Vermouth, _rang the voice of the boss, from nine years ago, right after that damned accident that had changed both of them. _We have the money, the power, and the resources to take over this world and make it our own. You have already received the gift of immortality along with me, why don't we build a whole new world where we would rule as king and queen? I have already started a project, where we shall create a super race of humans, combining the best traits of both animals and mortals to create the ultimate beings, ones that shall be our sword, and our shield._

In a way, she hadn't taken him seriously, but five years later, when the first results of the project, Viura, was unveiled, she became afraid. It was the first time that Vermouth had ever admitted that she felt fear not only when looking at their creation, but the power that it could hold if it was left unchecked. Afraid of the boss, afraid of Viura, afraid of the Black Organization. She knew that part of her DNA had been taken to create Viura, as her intelligence was superior to the others founding the experiment, not to mention it would be useful for Viura to look attractive. Whenever she saw her, it was like looking into a mirror, except for Viura's shorter hair and her trademark blood-colored irises.

Her other not-so-human traits came from different animals; the poison fangs from a cobra, the incredibly tough bulletproof skin from the armored rhinoceros, and the speed and stamina of a wild cat. Somewhere along the way, the mix had shown strange side effects like those mysterious red eyes and traces of spots along her back, slight lapses in thinking logically, but not many others. Vermouth thought of her as a snake; luring and seducing her prey and then killing them slowly so she could hear every scream of pain.

Viura was a masterpiece as far as the boss was concerned, beautiful, intelligent, powerful, but her recent failure might affect that reputation. The boss had thought Viura was perfect.

He would be disappointed, but Vermouth was sure that soon enough he would test out Viura again to find her true worth. The countless simulations and daily training Viura went through just couldn't match up to what reality had to offer, but Vermouth was sure that it wouldn't be long before she knew how the world worked.

Vermouth often wished she had been brave enough to stop everything. Tell the boss that immortality was the wrong choice, that his dream of world domination was the _wrong choice_. Why couldn't the boss see they had created a monster; a true werewolf, with no silver bullet to stop it? Maybe if she had swayed him in those critical moments and told him that she didn't want to live anymore. Maybe if she had crashed the car harder, she could have killed him, instead of volunteering to be the first test subjects for the new drug dubbed 'Pandora' that granted immortality while balancing on the thin line between life and death.

She tiled her head fervently towards the ceiling, hoping that maybe one day it would come. A silver bullet.

Hakuba was, to say the least, irritated. Absolutely out-of-his mind frustrated. He had gotten nowhere in his investigation about the mystery sniper. That man, who he was supposed to have been assisting, had disappeared right after he'd interviewed Aoko; and now, Aoko was 'with her friends' as her father put it. He sounded worried, but he said it was just something that might cheer her up during Kaito's period of absence. That couldn't be the case though; she hadn't shown up for school today.

She had to have gone someplace to see Kaito; it was the only thing he could think of. Maybe somebody had told her that he was injured and she'd rushed off to try to find the hospital. She probably would do that.

He walked down the road which would lead him home. Once a safe haven where he could relax, it was now a cave of nightmares and troubles. His parents wouldn't be home today, his mom was spending the day with her friends, and his dad was at an important impromptu business meeting of which the agenda was 'secret'. At least he'd be alone; it was much better to suffer silently than with people bugging him.

He trudged with heavy footsteps to the kitchen where he prepared a light snack. After a small cup of his favorite tea and an English biscuit that his mom had made a few days ago after he became depressed. She knew he missed the flavors of the United Kingdom, so she had thought it might cheer him up. He bit down on the crunchy, sweet cookie, and let the flavors seep through his mouth. He could taste slight traces of vanilla and some chocolate, but it could only distract him for so long.

He had no homework, due to yesterday's 'incident' as the teacher dubbed it. The school was still trying to sort everything out and convince worried parents that there was no longer any danger. He clambered up to his room and took out his favorite book, _The ABC Murders _by Agatha Christie. It was torn and beaten up from so many years of use, but he couldn't stand to get rid of it, not even when his dad had offered to buy him a new one. He caressed the battered spine, hoping that reading would banish his troubles. He hopped onto his bed, and turned on the light.

The distraction actually succeeded, as long as he kept his head in the story. He tried to pretend he was Poirot, attempting to stop the murders before they happened, but always too late. It reminded him of his hopeless sprint that afternoon; the one where he had been trying to reach Kaito before he got hurt. He was late, just like Poirot. He was too late to get his life back to the way it had been, too late to win over the girl he loved, and too late to not hate himself for being too damn _late_ in figuring all that out.

His cell phone started vibrating, and he curiously picked it up. "Hello, Hakuba-kun?" said the voice on the other end. His breath caught in his throat as he realized who was calling.

"Aoko-kun?" he nearly screamed into the phone, bolting upright. It took him a couple of seconds to realize that he sounded like a complete idiot.

"Hakuba-kun, can you please come over to Beika Hospital?" she asked in a weak voice. "I think you might be able to help us."

"'Us' meaning you and Kuroba-kun, correct?" He had known she was with Kaito. What he didn't know was what had happened to him after the shooting incident.

"You won't try to turn him in, right?" She was frantic again, sounding desperate.

"Promise," he swore. It was hard enough living with the fact that he had barred Kaito from a normal life; he wasn't going to throw him in prison so soon after he had realized what exposing his identity was doing to everyone he cared about.

"Hakuba-kun, Kaito lost his memory. I think you might be able to help him get it back. Please, please, please come! I don't know who else to ask." She sounded like she was crying, and he heard other voices in the background comforting her. He didn't take the 'lost his memory' too seriously, he was more concerned about Aoko at the moment.

"Who's with you?" he accused, wondering if they were doctors or other people.

"Friends of Kaito. They were taking care of him after-… after you-know-what. Never mind that. Can you come now?" He could imagine her expression. Those deep azure eyes burning with sorrow, tears welling up at the sides, spilling down her crimson face as sobs broke from her throat. So different from the Aoko who had had the Kaito by her side before he was forced away. "Please, Hakuba-kun." With that, she hung up with a loud clack, leaving him shocked with the news.

It was his fault entirely. Nobody would be suffering if it wasn't for _his _stupid actions. Kaito would still be laughing and playing lighthearted jokes that brought no intentional harm to anybody, Aoko would be right next to him, scolding him and attempting to beat him with a mop, and he'd just sit in his desk, quietly hoping that one day, Aoko would be his.

He was already out the door, wearing a thick leather jacket. It was the beginning of winter, and each day was colder and colder. He took out his cell phone and called a cab that arrived just minutes later.

_Maybe I'll be able to make it up this way. Just maybe…_

_*_Can Hakuba help Kaito get his memory back? And how will Ryuu discover Ai's secret? Who or what exactly is Viura? Please review! Chapter 40 shall be up soon! (I'm almost finished.)

Plz plz plz take a look at my drawings! iluvshadowclaw. deviantart. com! See you soon! 


	41. Chapter 40

*After a long wait, here it is! Chapter 40! *drumroll please!* I had a hard time with the detail here, so my beta-reader had to step in and add some paragraphs. (thank you lostinthedreams!) As always, read and review! Anybody curious on what word I spelled wrong at the school spelling bee? it was 'tariff'. Sad, isn't it? I spelled it t-a-r-i-f. fail on my part. Anyways, onwards with Chapter 40*

Chapter 40

"Shuu, have you been able to find anything out? Shuu?" Jodie spoke urgently into the transceiver, keeping her voice at a whisper. "Shuu, can you hear me?" The other end was dead silent, and she feared the worst. She should never have let him go off and investigate on his own.

"Shut up you pesky woman!" he all but hissed into the phone. "I'm trying to concentrate here!"

She recoiled, but gave back as good as she got. "You idiot! I thought you were dead for a couple of seconds there! You have to reply to me!" There went the secrecy of calling during study hall. All of her students turned around to face her, and she chuckled weakly. "Nothing, just get back to whatever you were doing, please."

She walked out of the classroom where the teenagers' gazes continued to follow her, and leaned against the hard cement wall. A bright streak of sunlight streamed in through the wide open window, making her think of the shooting incident at Ekoda High School just one day before.

"You worry too much for your own good, Jodie." She heard his laughter, and knew he probably wasn't in any kind of dangerous place if he was laughing that hard. She could imagine his cat-eyes twinkling, and his cold, devious smile that held warmth only the people close to him could find. The smile that that had broken her heart so long ago.

"Where are you, Shuu?" she asked, knowing that he probably wasn't investigating the shooting that he was told to. "Nobody's heard from you since yesterday afternoon."

"I'm investigating a murder, one I feel is related." It was almost like she could feel his anger through the phone, feel his need for vengeance. It was obvious which murder he was trying to solve.

"You're at the parking garage where Miyano Akemi was killed, aren't you?" she pried gently, not wanting to infuriate him. A couple of weeks ago when she first mentioned her death, he had thrown an absolute fit and refused to see anybody for the next couple of days, leading his own investigation. He was better now, but it didn't change the way he had felt about Akemi.

"I think I know the man who killed her." His voice was strained as if he were trying hard to maintain his self-control. "I worked under him when I was undercover. His codename is Gin; I never learned his real name, but I would bet ten to one that he doesn't actually use it. He was probably born into the Organization like many others." Jodie remembered the times when Shuuichi had joined the syndicate to help get information to the F.B.I. under the codename 'Rye'. It was then that he fell in love with Akemi, and when her own dreams of being with him were smashed.

"I think I remember Hattori-kun mentioning that name to me. He told me that Gin was the one who fed the famous high school detective, Kudo Shinichi, poison, but how he knows that is beyond me." She remembered how Heiji had confronted her while she was talking with Shuuichi on the phone about Akemi's murder, and the boy _knew _there was something wrong. He had made her confess everything, with the promise that he would keep it secret. In exchange, he had told her some very useful things about the Organization, including his unusually large knowledge of their members, especially Gin. There were a few that had never completely trusted Shuu, Gin being one of them, so his knowledge was valuable.

"I thought that boy was killed by them. The crime was too clean," he snickered, his voice level again. "They've taken too many lives for my liking. I would go and attack them now, but HQ says to wait."

"It would be a stupid move, Shuu," said Jodie defensively, nearly screaming into the phone. "We hardly have an army of more than twenty people and you want to take on a huge, wealthy syndicate with trained snipers and murderers? It would be suicide!"

"What would be suicide, Jodie-sensei?" Sonoko poked her head out of the door, looking nervous as she saw Jodie's stern, cold expression.

"Nothing, Suzuki-san." She ended the call, hearing a small protest from Shuuichi before she closed her cell phone. "Is study hall over already?"

"Yeah, you're supposed to be starting English right now." Sonoko stared warily at Jodie, who still looked like she was going explode at any moment.

"I'm coming."

Hakuba walked in, dressed in a thin leather jacket despite the biting cold. He had come in a taxi, and for some reason, he had felt somebody had followed him, but he shook it off. Who would possibly do that?

"Hakuba-kun!" cried Aoko, as she intercepted him at the entrance of the hospital. Aoko 's voice sounded with excitable energy. Hakuba recognized it as desperation brought to an unbearable level. "Hakuba-kun, you're here!"

He didn't know how to respond to her greeting; the last time she had talked to him in person she was just about spitting poison at him. It made him feel so guilty to have caused all of this pain; how should he look? He settled on an embarrassed frown, a blush spreading through his cheeks even though he shunned those emotions. "Hello, Aoko-kun."

She grabbed his arm without responding and started pulling him through the hallways, causing him to fight and protest. "Kaito's over here. Run faster you baka!" He looked into her angry, blue orbs, and decided not to rebel, in case she found a mop. She had never taken one to him before, but Hakuba was sure that he'd made her angry enough that it wouldn't be unusual for her to try.

They didn't notice the tall, skinny, almost model-like young woman leaning against the wall, smiling as her eyes flickered a deep, crimson red. As red as blood.

This mission had been too easy for her. Snake treated it like it was so difficult, saying that even he, the 'legendary' tracker, couldn't even do it. While in truth, locating Kuroba Kaito hadn't even taken half a day. After being lightly scolded by the boss, she was given a mission by Snake to find Kaitou Kid after Calvados's failure. It was a simple job; all she had needed was information, found using her amazing intellect and basic interrogation skills.

Taking a computer, she had searched up all the news about Kuroba Kaito, zooming through them and picking out the details she was looking for. Childhood friends, school, records, anything that might be important. She had an incredible memory, and she didn't forget a single thing.

She had gone to the Nakamori household disguised as a classmate of Nakamori Aoko, who she had discovered was Kaito's closest friend. Inspector Nakamori had told her that Aoko was with her friends, but from the reportsViura had found, there was proof that the Kaitou Kid had been shot several times by Calvados, which meant the girl was probably visiting him at the hospital.

Finding the hospital seemed much too difficult, as there were several scattered in just the local area. Even she couldn't hack through their systems, not to mention his name might not even be in their databases. Instead, she tracked down his rival, Hakuba Saguru and waited until he decided to make a move. A rival of Kid, he might be, but that didn't mean that there wasn't a good chance he would be notified that the other boy was in the hospital and told of Kaito's location.

She was correct, and she had followed the taxi, running to keep perfect pace with the vehicle. Even the swift pace of the car didn't tire her out. How were jobs like this hard at all? Snake was either a complete idiot, or he just wasn't trying hard enough, or both. This was child's play.

Getting back on the boss's good side was easy as well. Her punishment for failing to get rid of Miyazaki Ryuu was to work under Snake and fulfill his orders until he commanded otherwise. Snake's orders were to find the Kaitou Kid, and bring him back to him so he could kill the teen that had eluded him for so long. Viura had a different plan in mind, however. All thoughts were forced into standstill as she remembered her own childhood.

_Why don't I keep this little thing hidden for a bit? After all, it's not like it's urgent,_ she thought. She recalled Vermouth's famous words, the one that had she had shared with her when she was a little girl, _"A secret makes a woman woman! Remember that Viura." _

It was a long time ago that Vermouth actually treated her with kindness rather than forced respect. It was that time when she was considered almost a daughter to the famous actress. The third one, but she got all the attention because the other two weren't even aware of Vermouth being their mother. That was until she had accidently killed somebody when she bit a member when she got mad. It wasn't her fault that Tequila had hit her after she missed the bull's-eye with her gun! Everything had happened so quickly after that.

She lost her mother figure, and she was locked up for the majority of her childhood. She could hear the talk outside her cell, 'Monster', 'Dangerous', 'Nightmare'. The words made her shiver with fright. Her only comfort was the Boss, who referred to himself as 'Cognac'. He would take her out occasionally and play with her, talk to her, train with her. He was like her father, but even then she had still missed Vermouth.

"_Daddy, why won't Mommy come and see me? Why Daddy? Why?" cried the little girl, tears streaming down her face. "I'm trying to be a good girl, so why won't she come?"_

"_Mommy is busy, my sweet Viura. I'll try to convince her to come, but I can't make promises." He hugged her gently, and wiped away her tears. "But Daddy's here for you. Try to smile for me."_

_She sniffled and smiled; but nothing could prevent her from thinking about Vermouth. _Mommy…

What was she getting so caught up in her past for? There was nothing worth mentioning there. All that mattered was the present and the future, where she had been promised great things. She shook off the thoughts of her wretched childhood, not wanting to remember. She had been so stupid when she was a little girl, but she had grown up and matured quickly too. It only took eight years for her to develop into an adult. When she was one year old, she had been the size of a first grader. In the same year, she killed Tequila. She had murdered so many people since then. Recalling the screams of pain and desperate pleading, she laughed, being raised on the pleasure of being a hunter.

Chuckling, she treaded silently towards the exit, a huge smile on her face. Most people would probably think she was overjoyed after hearing good news about whatever family member or friend that had been hospitalized, but they didn't see what was under that human mask. A monster. A nightmare. She had become just what the Organization had called her all those years ago.

She would wait until the time was right to turn in the Kaitou Kid. Until then, Snake would just have to deal with his impatience.

"Kuroba-kun, what happened to you?" Hakuba had known that Kaito had been injured badly, but the sight of so many bandages, red or not, still surprised him. He stared into those blank blue eyes, and was even more frightened of them than the wounds.

"They said I was shot." He pointed to Aoko, waving a hand across the room at Heiji, Kazuha, Ai, and Ran who were huddled into one corner so they could give the two past rivals some space. "I don't remember really. All I recall is red, and loud bangs. And pain. Pain most of all."

Hakuba cringed at the _nothingness_ in Kaito's tone. There was always something in that voice! Arrogance, playfulness, happiness, anger, mischief, jealousy, something, anything! Not this emptiness; not this emotionless, monotone voice and still, blue eyes. Just another thing he had only himself to blame for.

_This is your fault, Saguru. It's all your fault. If you didn't turn him in, none of this would have happened. We'd all be doing homework or hanging out or just leading regular teenage lives. Dammit, dammit, dammit! _His face changed to fury as his silent loathing of himself took over, causing a look of concern to come over Kaito.

"Are you okay?" He didn't notice Kaito hop off the cot and lay a hand on his shoulder, his other arm unable to move, and those blue eyes actually showing some form of emotion. "Are you mad at me?" That innocence, it was just not Kaito! That childish look, the sound of _fear_ in his voice as he asked his question just made Hakuba even angrier.

"I'm not angry at you, Kuroba-kun. I'm just mad at myself, that's all. If it wasn't for me, you'd still be you, and everything would be better." He brushed off Kaito's tight grip and headed for the door. "Give me a little bit of alone time to process this. It's quite a shock."

"Hakuba-kun…" Aoko's tone sounded reprimanding, except instead of anger, there was regret on her face. She probably shouldn't have accused him so much. He was a wreck, kept together by hardly anything more than grief and a need to redeem himself.

He slammed the door behind him, leaving the confused and startled Kaito to Aoko. "What did I do?" asked Kaito, looking in the direction of Hakuba.

"Nothing, he's just upset with himself. He thinks it's his fault you lost your memory, but that's not true."

Kaito let Aoko hug him. He was still confused as to what it was that went so wrong that the boy he'd only just met had to storm out of the room. Kaito was aware that, as he was introduced to new people, and their stories, that it distracted him from what he'd been thinking about earlier. Faster than any previous occurrences though, Kaito was surprised at how wonderfully distracting this girl's hold on him was. The warmth and strength of her embrace made him feel something he couldn't explain in words, as unfamiliar as old sensations were to him. It brought a spark with it.

He remembered feeling these same arms around him, the same warm arms that made him feel so protected. He could remember her blue eye, the shade of a clear midnight sky, shining in the light of a full moon. Her quiet breathing, traces of tears in her eyes. A need to kiss her, to make her his…

For a heartbreaking moment, Kaito felt as if his memories were unimportant. There was a world of things out there that he couldn't remember, but in that instant, it wasn't necessary. This girl was here, this sweet girl that reminded him of quiet laughter and sunshine coexisting in a world of fear and moonlight.

Without warning, he leaned forward until she lifted her head to meet his eyes. He felt his body moving to motions his mind couldn't comprehend, quickly sealing his lips to hers, causing Aoko to back away and gasp in shock. When Aoko stared wide-eyed at him, Kaito looked almost as confused as she felt, and she instantly regretted backing up so quickly. The onlookers said nothing, but it was obvious they were surprised.

For a second, Aoko could see the old Kaito, the same arrogant smile, the same knowing, cool blue eyes, and just his aura made him seem- seem like Kaito. _Her_ Kaito. His lips had been soft, and she wanted to feel them again, stare into the depths of those eyes, and be satisfied with having at least this part of him love her the way she wasn't able to return without fearing he'd withdraw from her.

"K-Kaito," she stuttered, face and ears entirely crimson. "D-did you remember something?" His eyes said yes, and he smiled.

"Not really. I just remembered hugging you, and you standing in the moonlight. I remembered wanting to kiss you, so, my body just moved on its own." He sounded so proud, that Aoko had to smile. "Other than that, I can't recall anything. Do you know when that was?" He sounded like he had nearly forgotten that he had just _kissed_ her in favor of his curiosity, but she had to forgive him. He was just trying to regain his memory. The magical moment was gone almost as swiftly as it had come, leaving her a little brother figure instead of a –Aoko didn't even want to think the word, blush returning. _Boyfriend._

"It was yesterday night, when I snuck out to try to meet you at your heist. You said you were stealing a gem called Pandora because your dad hid it in his room. And, the thing you remember..." She stopped, as if she did not want to continue. "The thing you remember is when you promised that you'd try to be there for me no matter what, and I swore that I would be at every Kid heist to see you."

Kaito was lost again. He couldn't remember any words; it was like he was watching a silent movie in his head, two people trying to convey their deepest feelings. In a way, he had hit his first major milestone in remembering something so important. On the other hand, the kiss made Aoko miss her old idiot magician, Kaito, more than ever. She watched as he turned crestfallen, as he'd done for what felt like the one hundredth time. It hurt so much.

"Aoko-chan, are you alright?" Ran laid a hand on her shoulder, and Aoko remembered that there were other people in the room. The doctor only checked up on Kaito twice a day, not wanting to intrude on such a private matter. She felt hot tears running down her face, and she wiped them away.

"I'm fine, Ran-chan." As the fog faded, she noticed a new face she had not seen before. "Who's that little girl?"

Haibara Ai straightened herself, and answered Aoko's question. "My name is Haibara Ai. Nice to meet you, Nakamori Aoko-neesan."

"You can call me nee-chan if you want, you know." Then it struck her that _nobody_ was supposed to know about Kaito's memory loss, and a little kid might let it out by accident. "Ran-chan! Why is this girl here?"

"She's in on this as well, Aoko-chan. I think it's time you know the truth too. Is that fine with you, Ai-chan?"

Ai stared coldly for a moment, and then nodded her head. "You should call in that British teenager; it'd be a pain to recite it twice."

"You want to tell Hakuba-kun? Do you trust him that much already?" asked Heiji, startled. Ai was the most secretive of them all; she never wanted to spill anything except in the most dire circumstances or when they forced her.

"I think we've already included him. Just get him already, please!" she hissed at Heiji, causing him to recoil. Kazuha laughed at Heiji's expression, a mix of fear and surprise.

Heiji opened the door and found Hakuba looking out the hospital window, eyes blank and a tear running down his face. He knew that the boy probably wouldn't want him mentioning it, so he just pulled on his arm and started dragging him to the room.

"W-what are you doing?" protested Hakuba as he tried to free himself from Heiji's harsh grip.

"We decided it was time you hear the truth too. Haibara's idea." He pushed Hakuba into the room and closed the door, not noticing Ryuu hiding against the wall in the hallway.

Ryuu had stayed behind when the other kids had left, his instinct telling him that he might learn something special about Ai. He had been standing beside the door the entire time, eavesdropping on every word that was passed. When Hakuba had left the room, he'd been scared of being caught, but the teen didn't detect him, and neither did Heiji. Heiji had mentioned something about 'truth' and 'Haibara's idea'. Ryuu was determined to find out what it was.

He pressed his ear to the door and started listening.

*If you want something to read while you're waiting, I started a two shot called 'The Leap' (I know, bad Aeyra for starting yet another story while I'm in the middle of writing this one! I couldn't help it! It was eating my brain!) Please read and review, because otherwise I might not post part two of that. I also started a new story as a favor to AkemiXchan who asked if I could write her story for her, and so I did. (you can hit me, i know i shouldn't be starting all these new stories.) I'm kind of shaky on the topic though, so I'd appreciate help on that one. Please review as always, and chapter 41 will come much, much quicker. Thank you!*


	42. Chapter 41

*Okay,sorry for the long wait! I've been busy with all kinds of things so I haven't had time to post this online! (not to mention the internet crashed). I've been starting a bunch of other fics. (I know, slap me if you want.) You might have read them, but if you haven't, please do! I posted a new drawing of deviantart (hattori) and the link is iluvshadowclaw. deviantart. com. Thank you!

Chapter 41

"Have you found anything about the boy, Viura?" asked Snake, eyes glittering with menace. His voice was deep and scratchy, as if he had a cold. His frightening aura and astounding array of weapons, three handguns and a couple of knives around his waist probably would have scared most people, but Viura found the sight funny. She laughed at him.

"No," she lied smoothly. Why should she pass all the credit to this idiot? It was _she_ who found the Kaitou Kid, and it was going to stay a secret. She would choose the right time, so she could replace Vermouth at the boss's side, and she wasn't afraid to use anybody, even if it involved backstabbing. "I've found a bit of information, but I haven't found the boy. I surveyed the sight of Calvados's little 'accident', I ran a blood test and it's definitely not his blood, so it must be Kuroba Kaito's. The boy's either in a hospital recovering, dying, or he's already dead."

"He better not be dead. I'd like to save that part for myself. That brat better not have died before I have my go at him, but not even the Kaitou Kid can dodge a bullet. I discovered that out for myself a very, _very_, long time ago. " He lifted one of his pistols out of its holster and caressed the shining barrel gently. "Do you know what makes this gun unique?"

"No sir," Viura said with tempered patience. She didn't need to hear a story that was probably about how Snake killed the previous Kaitou Kid. However, you don't insult your current superior when you're trying to get ahead in the game, so she stood, uncaring, as she waited for his tale.

"This is my special gun; there's none like it in the entire world." The barrel was a little longer than a normal pistol, and it appeared to lack a safety. Snake didn't want to waste time with something like that. "Eight years ago, just a little before you were created, a certain Kuroba Toichi refused to steal Pandora for our Organization. Since he knew about us, he was a threat, and therefore had to be eliminated. Getting into his magic show with a weapon was easy. They didn't even have a security check set up; that man was arrogant to not be afraid for his safety when he knew our secrets. I had one of my comrades lace one of his props with an explosive, nothing dangerous enough to be mistaken for a terrorist act, but just enough for somebody to believe his death to be a stage accident."

Snake paused in his remembrance, eyes sparkling darkly with wicked thoughts as he recalled every foul act he had planned out. Viura felt herself indulgent in those same feelings. "I sat next to a small child; his name was Kuroba Kaito, the son of the magician who I was going to kill. I wanted to hear his tortured crying as he watched his dad die in front of his eyes. The little girl next to him, I knew, would be just as much fun- being a girl and being so young." Snake let out a rough laugh. "In all possibility, she might be that little girlfriend of his. I should have killed both of them, and spared us from our current troubles, but the thought didn't occur to me at the time." He smiled at Viura, a smile more sadistic than even she could muster because it was tinged with madness. She chuckled silently; this man thought he was so great, pulling off a simple murder. She could kill more expertly, more effectively, and was much more talented. She didn't even need a gun.

"Please get on with it." Viura was now tapping her foot impatiently against the ground, red eyes glowing with frustration. She was supposed to meet with the boss, and she was already a couple of minutes late. The intensity of the fire in her gaze took Snake aback, but he continued, too caught up in his current bloodlust to care about someone else's.

"During his final magic trick, while the audience's attention was focused on him, I shot him, and set off the explosive simultaneously. There were a lot of 'oohs' and 'ahhs' until somebody realized that it wasn't just a trick. The little boy beside me screamed, and started running towards the flames. His friend chased after him, but they were both stopped by the security guards. It would have been futile anyways; I never miss, unlike that doofus Calvados. Never should have trusted him with that mission." He sounded like he was going to say more, but one glance at the angry Viura, and he decided to let her go.

"Thank you, Snake." _Thanks for a waste of time, dumbass, _she thought in her head. The boss truly did come up with a punishment for her. She had been forced to listen to such a stupid man tell such a stupid story. If the day ever came that she could sink her fangs into that man's neck, she would.

There were several people that she would have liked to kill, Vermouth being on top of that list. How dare that woman shove her aside, _ignore_ her when she knew how much Viura missed her? _Adored_ her? She didn't mean to kill Tequila, it was just an accident.

_She fired the gun, aiming for a small target several yards away. She tried to adjust her stance, shift her hands a bit, but the bullet still flew awry, hitting the wall instead of the target. The force from the recoil made her stumble backwards into her mentor, falling onto his feet._

"_You stinking little brat! How can you miss that badly?" Tequila's voice was loud and harsh, and he smashed his fist into the top of the little girl's head. _ _She started crying, not knowing what else to do. He did not care about sparing her emotions, he continued to insult her. "Stop crying you weakling! Start practicing again!"_

_He hit her once more, and she just couldn't stand the harassment. She instinctively bit into his hand as it flew towards her face, and the man fell to the ground, struggling for air. Blood slowly seeped out of his wound as his life faded, his last struggles echoing through the empty room. The girl was frozen, still at the dead man's feet. There was a moment of silence before she realized what had happened._

"_Tequila-ojisan? Tequila-ojisan? Please answer me, Tequila-ojisan! I didn't mean to bite you! Please just get up, Tequila-ojisan!" Her wails pierced the air, and in just minutes, Vermouth came to the girl's aid and found Tequila dead on the ground. _

"_What did you do, Viura?" Her voice was as cold as ice, and her face was set in anger. It scared the little girl, and she backed away. _

"_Mommy!" She hugged the woman's leg, weeping, the warm tears spilling from her eyes. "Why isn't Tequila-ojisan waking up?" There was guilt and innocence glowing from those fiery red eyes, so different from the woman's, filled with anger, hatred, and was that regret?_

"_You killed him, you little monster. Get out of my sight." She kicked off the little girl, leaving her alone when a scientist came to put her into a cell and into darkness. The girl cried for a long, long time. She didn't mean to kill Tequila, and she wanted her mother back._

"_Mommy…"_

Why was she getting so caught up in her past again? _Concentrate Viura! You have more important things to do than just remember that woman! _She thought, clearing her mind. _Now, to continue with my other thoughts. Other people I want to kill, let's think…_

In just thirty seconds, she had come up with a full list. Vermouth, Snake, and several other members of the organization were the included, though she had almost no chance of getting permission to kill her coworkers. Only one had no connection to the syndicate. The boy's name was Miyazaki Ryuu, the one who had caused her failure. She couldn't wait for the day she could get her revenge.

Ryuu couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had thought Ai was different, but he never even thought of the idea that she might not be a kid. _"This girl here, Haibara Ai, is not what she seems. Her real name is Miyano Shiho, a twenty year old biochemist." _It had taken his breath away. He was friends with a twenty year old?

"_She was once part of the Black Organization. She created the poison that killed Kudo Shinichi; the name of the poison was APTX4869. She took it so she could commit suicide after her sister was murdered, but it ended up shrinking her. She knows a lot about those guys in the Organization, so she's a lot of help to us."_

Ai was a bad guy. But she was a good guy now, right? He wanted to leave and pretend he had never heard anything; however, he couldn't pull himself away from the door. He learned about everything, Kaito's lost memory, Shinichi's existence in Ran's head, their ultimate goal. Destroy the Black Organization.

He heard them stop talking, and then footsteps slowly approaching the door. They were small and light. It had to be Ai. He had no time to get up before she had opened the door, and saw Ryuu beside it in the hallway. Her eyes widened in shock, then suspicion, and then just plain disbelief.

"What is it Haibara? Oy, answer me!" Heiji charged into Ai, not noticing Ryuu standing in front of her.

"How much did you hear, Ryuu-kun?" She sounded defeated; there was no point in hiding the truth. He had heard everything, she could tell from the shock in his emerald eyes that were a window to his emotions, completely mindblown.

Ryuu didn't know what to say, or how to look. _'I'm three years her senpai!' _How far off could he be? He was silent for a moment, and then he said, "I heard everything, Shiho-neechan." If she was that much older than him, then she would count as an older sister, right?

"Don't call me that, please, Ryuu-kun. Shiho died when I became Haibara Ai. Just call me Ai-kun, if you still want to be my friend. If you don't, then you can just leave right now. I won't try to stop you." Her eyes burned with sorrow, as if she thought that Ryuu would leave. One of her only friends.

He didn't truly understand the gravity of the situation, all of the troubles behind it. He saw it from a kid's point of view even though he had some experience with the harsher side of reality. He had never really dealt with anything like this. His thoughts on what they were up against was the cartoonish envisioning of a bunch of stupid bad guys, and the smart good guys who could beat them up easily. It was how manga and TV shows went.

"I'm still your friend, Ai-kun, even if you are twenty years old. I'm just not your senpai anymore." She smiled, but she understood that Ryuu didn't comprehend what he was agreeing to. How serious this was.

"Ryuu-kun…" She didn't know how to respond to him. She wanted him to leave and never come back because she knew that he shouldn't be part of this. It was too dangerous for him to even know. As a kid, he might underestimate the Black Organization, or worse yet, tell his father, the head of the Japanese Police Force. Then he would be an even greater threat to _them_, as he had already escaped their grasp once. "Ryuu-kun, you don't understand. This is dangerous, _life-threatening _even. You're not part of this. Can you try to forget what you heard? Please?"

"I don't think it's possible to forget that. I'll keep it secret though, Ai-kun. But wouldn't it be a good idea to tell my dad? He could help you guys."

"No. We already have the F.B.I. on our side, and even they can't handle it. I'm not going to involve any more people if I can help it. Don't tell anybody." The teenagers stood around them silently, not sure how the conversation was turning out. Ai and Ryuu were whispering softly now, and it was hard to hear.

"If you don't think it'll help, then I'm not going to push it, Ai-kun." He didn't realize that when Ai said they were dangerous, that they could truly kill anybody they wanted and get away with it. He felt like she was talking about a street gang; he was ten, he didn't really know what the F.B.I. was. He just didn't get it.

"Make sure you keep your promise, Ryuu-kun." She turned around, and walked back into the room. "It's probably time for you to go, isn't it?"

He nodded, and started on the path towards the exit.

"Viura, where are you going?" Vermouth stopped the younger woman in the hallway, looking at her suspiciously. "Aren't you supposed to be trying to find the Kaitou Kid?" Her blue-green eyes flashed, matching Viura's in intensity and hatred.

"I couldn't locate him. I'm going to report that to the boss. Do you have a problem with that?" It was hard for her to fight back to urge to _kill_ the woman in front of her, show her how much pain she had caused in her life. Did she even care about her at all? She must have known how much she hurt her.

Vermouth pinned Viura against the wall, ignoring the fact that Viura was much stronger. Passersby stared curiously at them, but looked away quickly once they saw the two that were starting the fight. Nobody in the Organization wanted to mess with Viura, much less Vermouth.

"I know you're lying. You can't fool me," Vermouth whispered, sounding exactly like Viura did. Seductive, deadly, powerful. "Nobody beats me at Poker Face, and nobody is better at detecting a lie than I am. Spit it out."

Viura felt a surge of hatred. She could easily murder Vermouth right now, but she knew better than to do it. The boss would probably end up killing her if she did. "Why should I tell you? What do you care?"

"You're plotting something against me. I can see it in your eyes. If you tell me, I'll let you off without a punishment."

What Viura didn't know was that Vermouth still cared for her in a way. Vermouth didn't want Viura to walk onto the path that the boss had planned, a path covered with death and betrayal. It was why she'd pushed her away as a child, fearing that she would become the weapon the boss was looking for. It had become all too true, so Vermouth wanted to find a way to try and prevent anything more from happening, protecting Viura from the boss's intentions. Viura could have had the ability to great, in an actual sense of the word, but it had been barred from her. Perhaps she still had a chance.

Viura looked away, Vermouth having beaten her in their private staring contest. "I'm going to kidnap the Kaitou Kid, and make him one of us. And then, I'm going to kill you. I promise you that." She spit at the ground, unwilling to look the other in the eye. Vermouth's mouth widened in a grin. It was what she had been expecting to hear; it was what she would have done.

"You truly are my daughter, Viura. I'm proud that you could come up with such a plan. Let's see if you can follow through with it." Vermouth let her go, leaving Viura shell-shocked. Vermouth was _proud_ of her. Could it be she still actually cared?

_No, Viura! Don't let yourself get distracted! She's trying to trick you, _she thought. But the smaller part of her murmured, _But she said she's proud of you! You know you're pleased, so why not just let things be? You don't have to take her down. You know what you really want is for her to accept you._

"Shut up!" she suddenly screamed, causing everybody to turn around and stare. A snake-like glare shifted their attention elsewhere, and she entered the boss's room.

His chair was facing towards the back wall as usual, hiding his face and figure from everybody. As far as Viura knew, he just about never left the room, but there were rumors that there were passages leading from this chamber to every location in the headquarters of the Organization.

"Viura, darling. How is your mission with Snake doing?" he asked, his voice as smooth as velvet. The boss was a very mysterious person; she hadn't seen him up close for several years, the last time was when she was a little girl. She could remember his dark black hair, and deep turquoise eyes. He was a tall, strong man with extremely high intelligence, worthy of being the head of such a large and powerful syndicate.

"It's going well. But I feel that Snake is a bumbling idiot." She knew the Boss usually wouldn't reprimand her for scolding agents; he knew that she was on a much higher level. "That man is hopeless, why is he ranked so high?"

"He used to be one of our political assassins, but he was the one who volunteered to find the gem, Pandora. Since he was in charge of that assignment, I had to bump him up. Little did I know his jewel-hunting would turn into a thief-catching bonanza. He was more interested in killing the Kaitou Kid than finding the diamond. After eight years, he still hasn't been able to complete the mission. I think it's high time to replace him with somebody else, don't you?" Viura knew what he was hinting at.

"And what would you do with Snake?" She licked her lips, knowing that if the Boss followed his usual routine, it would involve an execution. She hoped that it would involve her.

"Kill him. He's an absolute failure. You know what your job is now, don't you?" She nodded, heading towards the door. This was going to be fun. "And also, you have more than just him to kill. I want you to kill that boy, Miyazaki Ryuu and the girl that was with him. From your report, they might become a threat to our Organization. Especially the boy, since his father may get involved."

"With pleasure."

Ryuu shivered as he walked down the street. Not only was it cold outside, he felt like somebody was watching him. His head was still full of the images that he had conjured up while listening. A shrinking girl, evil men in black, a Phantom Thief that lost his memory, these problems made so much easier to solve in his mind than in reality.

He looked up at the sky, which was growing darker by the minute. The weatherman had promised a snowstorm after all. He looked forward to the white fluff covering the ground, and the days after where he could play in the snow and have fun. Maybe Ai would be able to join him, along with the three kids that were with her. When he had met up with them at Ai's house, they had told him their group was called the 'Detective Boys'.

Mitsuhiko had explained that they had just been watching a detective movie at his house, and they wanted to be just like the hero, Sherlock Holmes. They were going to ask Ai to join them even though they knew she would say yes, and surprisingly even invited him to join.

He had accepted happily, glad to have more friends. In his grade, not many were interested in what he liked, the realm of police and crime. Most boys were entertained by the thoughts of war, robots, and guns, basically what you'd find in videogames. Therefore, his friends were few, and he didn't mind making some among his kohai.

He wondered if his mother had prepared dinner yet, if he would have to face her scolding him when he finally arrived home. It had taken him two hours to force an opening in the constant hugging, crying, and his mom repeating 'I was so worried about you! I'm so glad you made it back safe.'

It wasn't that he didn't like being hugged by his mom and dad; but had wanted to see Ai again. The girl thoroughly interested him, and he was actually able to carry a conversation with her. She was pretty, smart, and brave too. He had already developed a small crush on the twenty-year-old turned six-year-old woman.

He liked how her blue eyes twinkled, and how they had a certain icy quality with their fire. He liked the sound of her voice; it was like a song, beautiful and changing, switching from all different emotions. While it was more like puppy love on his part, he really did like her.

When he was turning the corner towards his house, he noticed the sound of an ambulance, fire trucks, and police cars. They rushed by him, blowing his black hair across his face, leaving him wide-eyed in surprise. The ringing bells didn't disappear as he went closer and he realized that something terrible was happening.

He ran back home, noticing the smoke spiraling into the air, and the hungry flames devouring the building, turning the wood to ash. The firefighters were starting to put out the blaze, but it was obvious that it was beyond their control.

"N-" he started to yell, but somebody had put a cloth over his mouth. The world started to mist black, and everything faded as he fell into unconsciousness.

*Please, please, please review! It makes me wanna write a lot faster! Note: I'm going to post a preview of the story I will be focusing on once MSK is over, for a hint, the title's 'Revenge'. While you're waiting for the next chapter, please read my new fic 'The Leap' (it's a finished two-shot) and 'The Magician's Daughter' (somebody's request for me to write their story for them. It's a pregnancy fic, and I don't know anything about that topic. However, I would appreciate help of any kind!) Review them too!*


	43. Chapter 42

*Finally I present the long awaited Chapter 42! It's been over a week since the last update. Sorry guys... I had a MathCounts competition and a strict 'no computer' rule but I think it was for the best. I was first in my county for the competition, and I'm going to the state level. XD I'm so happy! Anyways, I finished the drawing of kid Viura, it's up on my deviantart account. My username is iluvshadowclaw, and I hope you like it! Please review the chapter, and check out some of my new stories, as there is a poll on my profile on which you would like me to work on as I do this one after MSK's finished. Kay? OK! Onto Chapter 42! (p.s. thank you lostinthedreams!) Please review!*

p.p.s. I will respond to anonymous reviews at the end of the chapter since I can't use a review reply button.

Chapter 42

"Good night," whispered Viura as she snuck up behind Snake, fangs bared. He reached for his knife, but not fast enough. She bit him, tasting the rusty blood, savoring the moment as she heard him cry in pain, fear, surprise… and then fall, his low, shallow breaths breaking apart the silence of the room.

"Why?" he asked, the words hardly audible to even the ears of the hunter. It sent a thrill through her body to see this man desperate, seeing him dying. His words had an edge of loathing, something that didn't even affect her.

"The boss's decision, not mine." She pressed her finger to her pursed lips, winking at him. A pose she had copied from Vermouth. "Although if it was my decision, this would have happened a long, _long_, time ago."

He grabbed the leg of her pants, staring at her with as much hatred as he could muster, which wasn't much considering his face was filled with pain. This man had been born a killer; he would die as the victim in his sick little game of death. "You bastard," he wheezed out, his black eyes glittering for the last time. Then, he released his grip, and fell back towards the ground, destined to never rise again.

Viura laughed- these moments were always so pleasurable. Hearing people beg for mercy, wanting to know _why_ she was killing them. There was no thinking about the kill, giving her the opportunity she needed to savor it, every action wired into her. Just like instinct. She was now replacing Snake as head of the search for Pandora section, though she sincerely wondered what the point of that was. The boss had clearly reached immortality, so why did he want it from a blood-red jewel?

His scientists had already healed all of his fatal wounds and given him the gift of eternal life. As far as she was concerned, the boss would never die. Vermouth was granted this too, but somehow she didn't see the woman on the same god-like level. Maybe it was because Viura's vision of her was clouded with hate, and the desire to be loved. Maybe it was because the boss loved Vermouth more than her and jealousy was hard to see past.

All her life, she had only wanted to be accepted by her two _parents_. Cognac had always seemed willing to forgive her for any mistakes, and always pushed her forwards, towards the future. Vermouth, on the other hand, was so _unforgiving_; no mistake went uncharted in her book. She would always try to convince Viura _not_ to do something, not to tread down the path of evil she was strolling on now.

She swore she hated Vermouth above all others, wanted to kill her, wanted to hear her suffering wails. Then why was it that whenever Vermouth praised her, she felt like she was flying? That when Vermouth said 'I'm proud of you' did she feel like she was on top of the world?

_Stop thinking about her, Viura. You have a mission to carry out now. Find Pandora, find the Kaitou Kid. _She would definitely accomplish more than that lowly, inferior Snake. The ability to succeed was a part of her, and her instinct always led her where she needed to go.

_You know what to do, Viura. Use your brain, and you will find the jewel. _The boss's orders came back to her, and she let out a long laugh for nobody to hear but the corpse beside her. _But first things first. I should find that boy, Miyazaki Ryuu. Then, I'll give him eternal slumber too. _

Kaito was perched on the edge of his cot, alone with the exception of Haibara Ai, who was the only one who had been able to stay with him. Detective work and a call from the F.B.I. had forced everybody else to leave, everybody except the little girl.

He didn't mind her presence, but he didn't enjoy it either. Some part of him yelled to get away from her, that she was dangerous, and he could hear gunshots in his head. He could remember screaming in pain as the bullets pierced his skin, the crimson flowers that bloomed all around, and a final, frightening, _"Say your prayers, boy." _He did his best to dismiss these memories, the ones he didn't want to recall.

Ai looked up at Kaito, who was shaking his head clear of his terrifying thoughts, staring at him in a look that was half pity, and half envy. What would it be like it _she_ lost her memory? Would it free her from her dark past and allow her to live the present in peace? Or would it be horrifying to not know who she was? To not know either Haibara Ai or Miyano Shiho?

She looked at his face, glazed over in confusion and depression. He hadn't said a word since Aoko left, and she was the only one who could really get him to talk. He almost acted like a puppy when she was around, jumpy, excited. If the situation wasn't so serious, she would probably laugh at the scene; a teenager behaving like such a child.

Kaito knew more about himself now, but virtually none of it had been recovered from his subconscious. It was all stories told by other people, things he didn't know were true or not, and he couldn't fathom what to do with his information.

It was quite clear to everybody around him that he may never be able to live a normal life again, and that his memory might be too hard to recover.

He still didn't get why he couldn't leave his room, couldn't see the outside world for just one precious moment. They said it was because he was a wanted criminal, an international fugitive, and he wasn't allowed to show his face or he would be put in prison. He listened, but it didn't keep him from desiring more, from wanting to jump off his bed and crack the door open just a peek, to have a second's worth of life, emotions, that were his and his alone.

Ai could tell what he was yearning for, and she wanted to help him out of here, knowing that even prison might allow him more freedom than this room. It made her think of her life in the Organization, knowing that she couldn't get out, and if she did, then she would die. Of course, his case wasn't about death, but you never knew. The man had been shooting to kill Kaito, and it couldn't take that long for another to replace him. The F.B.I. had asked her to see if she could recognize the mystery man's face, and she had been able to identify him.

"_Calvados. He's part of the assassination unit. He usually works for Vermouth, but she isn't the one in charge of finding Kid." She looks up at the teenagers, who suddenly have an accusatory look in their eyes._

"_You know about which part of the Organization was after Kaito?" asked Aoko, fire starting to light up in her eyes. "Then why didn't you tell us before?"_

"_I forgot. I don't really like remembering the Organization. I hate them. They killed my sister." She paused, and then continued with the question. "There's a part of the syndicate that was rumored to be dedicated to finding Pandora, and therefore, hunting down and killing the Kaitou Kid. My sister was part of it once, so that's how I know about it. Most people don't."_

"_So do you know anything else about them?" asked Heiji, bending down and looking at Ai, eye to eye. It was a method he used to interrogate people, as it made it easier to pry out the whole truth. His turquoise orbs pierced straight into the ice of her own, and she looked away._

"_Akemi was only part of them for little more than a month. Then, she got relocated to where she was until- until, well, you know what." She wiped away a tear from her eye, thinking of Akemi, bright and cheerful, telling her about her next mission, because she knew her sister was anything but happy about what they had been making her do._

"_I just got transferred to a new department, Shiho!" she crowed, hugging the tea-haired girl. Her chocolate hair draped over Shiho like a curtain, and the younger girl pushed her off._

"_Let go of me!" She smiled at her sister after the outburst. "So, which department is it?"_

"_It's supposed to be a secret, but I'll tell you. I'm being transferred to the immortality department where I'll be searching for the legendary jewel, Pandora. Sounds exciting right? Kind of like a fairy tale!" With that she strolled happily down the hallways, humming joyful tunes as she walked._

"_She only managed to tell me that the leader was a man named Snake, and his goal was to kill the Kaitou Kid, despite the actual plan to find Pandora. She was pretty disappointed; at that time she was relatively new to the Organization. Everything else I know about Pandora was from my own snooping around and even that isn't much. I don't know any more than Kuroba does." Ai zoned back into reality, going on with her tale. "I didn't think it was that important, is all."_

Kaito was now off the bed, hand on the doorknob. He just wanted the one moment of freedom, and Ai ran, holding the leg of his pants. He looked down at her hesitantly, still not sure why he felt so afraid of the little girl. In that moment, so many emotions were running through both of them, that neither was sure what to do.

Ai knew what it was like to be trapped, to be unable to escape. She knew how much she had wanted to just fly away, flee from all of her troubles. How much she wanted to see the light of freedom, even if it was only for one precious moment.

Kaito started shivering, cold slithering down his spine. He had heard from the storytelling earlier that this girl was part of them, part of the ones that had hurt him. The only thing that he could truly remember was the hurt, the pain, the blood, the screaming. The only thing other than his feelings for Aoko that could make him really _feel_. The fear of this little girl had him freeze in place.

However, the only thing Ai did was let go of Kaito, and open the door, letting him see outside for just a minute. "It shouldn't be that dangerous. This part of the hospital is pretty quiet compared to the rest of it."

Kaito jumped out of the room with the enthusiasm of a kid on a snow day. His room didn't have a window; the only lighting were the bright fluorescent bulbs fixed to the ceiling, not nearly enough for him to feel the same kind of warmth he could remember in the back of his head, natural and perfect. The outside world amazed him; he could see the sun, hanging in the sky like a golden coin, and the clouds like fluffy cotton balls through the large windows nearly next to his room door, stretching several meters long in a wide arch around the corner.

It wasn't that he had completely forgotten about nature, it was that he'd been deprived of it. Just like any person yearns for food and drink, he craved the warmth of the sun, the feel of the wind on his skin, and the sight of green plants draped in a thin sheet of snow.

"It's beautiful," he breathed, his voice filled with awe. "I can't remember ever seeing this. It makes me so sad to know that I'm causing all the pain, but I can't even recall how, and I can't fix it. I want to see Aoko happy, but I just can't do it. It feels right, but it feels wrong at the same time." He was looking out the window as he said this, and Ai wasn't really sure if he was talking to her. It seemed he was conversing with somebody she couldn't see, somebody much more powerful than anyone on earth. "I wish there was a way that everybody could stop hurting, and a way that would make me less scared to get my memory back. Every time I try, all I can see is blood. I can't conjure up the happy things like I used to."

Ai felt so much pity for the boy; even in the short time she had known the real him, she could tell that he wasn't a weak person, that he was strong and confident. Now he was completely broken, a shell full of fear and confusion. She could see the wistfulness in his blue eyes, the color of an ocean at night, dark and unreadable. She smiled at the thought; at least the thief had kept part of his famous 'Poker Face'.

Footsteps came from down the hall, and Ai started pulling viciously on the boy's legs until she realized she recognized the approaching faces. She smiled sheepishly as they stopped in front of the door, trying to push Kaito inside the room.

"Why is he outside?" asked Aoko, expression full of anger. "You know that if somebody sees him he'll be arrested!" She looked fit to kill Ai, and even Ai was afraid, slowly backing up.

"I just felt so bad for him!" she pleaded, trying to get the older- no excuse me- _younger_ girl to understand. "He's been staring at the door the entire time, and he hasn't even seen the stinking _sun_ since he got stuck in here. It's just like a prison, but worse because at least in prison they'll let you out from time to time."

Aoko looked like she had just been struck by a bolt of lightning, but she quickly regained her feet. "It's not like he'll be in here forever!" she protested defensively. "As soon as he's ready to leave the hospital we'll get him back to Kudo's house."

"How are you going to get him out?" hissed Ai. "If you won't even let him take one step outside of that cell of a room, how the hell are you going to let him out? How can you call yourself his caretaker?" She was angry. She had been through a situation much like Kaito's, and she wanted the others to just understand. The boy backed away quietly into his room, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire.

Even if people were trying to protect you by keeping you in the dark, sometimes it hurts more to be in the shadows of safety than out into the open, dangerous rays of a cruel sun. She had been the victim and the culprit of the vicious circle of trying to keep somebody out of harm's way, and only giving them more pain.

She had tried her absolute hardest to make sure that Akemi never got hurt, and protected her by keeping her out of the Organization, even if it had been only a few years. Akemi had despised this treatment, saying that since she was the 'nee-chan' that she was in charge, and could do whatever she pleased. Despite her pleading, her sister joined the Organization.

Then it was Akemi trying to defend her from the fierce attacks of Gin, Vermouth, and several other agents. It was Akemi that had kept Ai from stopping her on the road to death. Maybe it was for a good intent, but in the long run, it only made everything worse.

_Why don't they get it? _thought Ai as she stared at Aoko's furious face, waiting for her answer. _It's best for him if you set him free, and let him fly on his own. _

"I haven't figured out how yet, but how dare you say I'm not trying to help him. I'm trying harder than everyone else." Aoko used her height as the major intimidation, but her light blue eyes could never match the depth of Ai's, filled with painful experiences and glowing like fire, melting the ice inside.

"You are trying, but it's not the right way. He's in a fricking _cage, _can't you see? A bird, even if it's an eagle, can't learn how to fly unless you let it out. You think I don't know how to help him? I lived my whole life behind the bars of the Organization, trying to get out, trying to get my sister out. I tried to keep my sister from getting hurt, but she would always fight. When I let her go, she was happier, more content, and just so much _better_ than before. I also know what it's like to be treated like I'm helpless. It's not enjoyable, and it's not something that he should have to go through. He's not weak; he's perfectly capable of handling himself if you just let him try." Ai screamed it all out with all her heart at the absolute top of her lungs.

Kaito shivered just inside the doorway, cowering from the loud angry voices emanating from the argument outside. In his mind, he supported Ai. He _wanted_ freedom; he _wanted_ to fly like she said he could. He wondered how it would feel to be free, he forgot how that felt. The life he knew know was boring, dull, and torturous. The only questions he ever got asked were 'Did you remember something?' or 'Can you remember this?'. Day by day, minute by minute, it always played out like this, guaranteed.

At first, he had wanted to please above everything else, but it was obvious that it was out of his reach. He couldn't remember anything they wanted him too, only the precious moments that he lost so quickly. Now as the urged him to search inside his muddled brain, the only images he could fish out were filled with blood, _his_ blood, cruel laughter, and pain. Way too much of it.

He wanted to escape this pain, this suffering, some way, somehow. It wasn't that he didn't love the teenage girl standing outside the door, he felt much too controlled. He was a puppet, and everybody else was pulling the strings for him. When they left for their work, they laid him down and locked him in this box of a room. He didn't have a choice.

Ai seemed to want to give him the key to the chest, and let him go, even for just a couple of seconds. Let him see outside, taste rain on his tongue, feel the wind against his skin, hear the gentle chirping of serenading songbirds, smell something other than the sickly hospital scented cots. The old Kaito was still wired into him, maybe not his sense of humor, his playfulness- but his courage, the love of challenges, and a need to _fly_ was still buried inside.

It ate away at him as the days rolled by, slowly ticking off the days until they said he could leave this dark hole. He might have been recovering, the bullet wounds healing, his fatigue lessening, but he was dying inside. The doctors couldn't pry inside him and see this; he wouldn't let them. Slowly, the others had severed the contact between them to a bare minimum, barely visiting Kaito more than once a day; even then it was just to check he was still in the room. It had become less and less for his benefit and more for their piece of mind.

The yelling outside stopped, and his door, his prison door, was opened to reveal a flustered Aoko, and no Ai. Heiji, Ran, Kazuha, and Hakuba entered the room slowly, following Aoko's lead. They were obviously quite hesitant; Aoko looked as if she were about to explode at any moment, her anger quite visible in her fiery sapphire irises.

She stared into Kaito's blue eyes, filled with desire and fear, and said, "Sorry, did I scare you?"

He didn't know how to reply, not sure if he wanted to. The way she said it made him feel weak, inferior, like a child. In the beginning, he hadn't minded this treatment; he'd needed it to get used to everything, to get used to all the changes in the life he hadn't known. But now, it made him feel like he was being looked down upon, like he was stupid, like he couldn't do anything.

"I wasn't scared," he started, pausing for a couple of moments. What if he upset her? Then who would he be able to talk to? _I'm not weak, I'm strong, _he tried to convince himself, building up his courage. He swallowed his fear and continued. "I agree with the little girl, Ai. I don't want to be trapped in here. Give me a good reason on why I have to stay."

Aoko looked skeptical, as if she couldn't believe Kaito would say such a thing. She had felt that sending Ai away had been the best for him, and that the protection that she was giving him would ascertain his safety. "Kaito." She stopped, trying to find the right words behind her conflicting mind. Part of her agreed that Ai had a good point, but her stubbornness refused to give in, fighting a worthless battle. "It's just not safe for you out there. Not yet, maybe not ever. I only want to keep you out of harm's way for as long as I can. Is that too hard to understand?"

"No, it isn't." He looked back at the floor, expression half filled with depression, half filled with defeat. The one thing he hadn't gained since he arrived was a _victory. _The chance to win at least part of an argument, to not have to be guided in every tiny, step he took. A win by himself hadn't been achieved yet. Just failure and it brought his already poor self-esteem even lower.

"There, there, Kaito." Aoko snuggled against him, hugging him from behind, her head on his shoulder. "Everything will be fine. You'll only be in here for another couple of days. Then we'll move you back into Kudo-kun's house and everything will be okay. I promise."

He didn't answer, stuck in his sea of disappointment.

_Fire. Flames. A loud crackle. The sound of falling wood. People screaming. Sirens blaring through the heat-filled air. Feet running on the rough asphalt, loud and fast, trying to achieve a hopeless goal. Sparks of orange light attacking every part of his body. A cloth pressed over his mouth, taking him to dark place. So dark…_

Ryuu sprang up, covered in sweat. Where was he? As far as he could tell, he was on a bed, soft and comfortable, but not familiar, somehow cold despite the blankets provided. There was nobody else in the dimly lit room, the only lighting being the lone fluorescent bulb hanging right above him, causing strange, green and red spots to appear in his vision.

Was his nightmare just a dream? Or had it been reality? He didn't remember coming here, but he recalled the vicious, burning air, devouring him like a pack of hungry wolves. He could see his house being reduced to ashes, his parents probably along with it. Could they have, by any chance, gone out to run an errand? That would be best; it would mean they weren't dead…

The door opened from a quiet, desolate corner, and Ryuu snapped his head up at the noise. It was a woman, with platinum blonde hair and mysterious eyes that pierced through his emerald orbs. She looked up at him, her expression unreadable, shrouded in darkness.

He shivered, and spoke, the sound of his voice echoing through the nearly empty room, his heart thudding loudly against his chest in fear and hesitation, "Who are you?"

*This is just random crap I wrote in English class relating to the chapter. It's supposedly a poem. Whaddaya think?

_What's it like to be trapped, in room like a prison?_

_Where you feel you are in a cage, unable to escape?_

_Others may feed you words that it's to keep you safe, but your doubts swallowed you up._

_You are an eagle, kept on the ground, barred from the sky, _

_You want to take flight, fly up higher than the moon and the stars,_

_Fly up towards light where you will be forever free. _

**Loo Shuenpei: I'm happy with your enthusiasm! I hope you'll continue reading all of the stories!**

**djfhkdjg: There was more Kaito in this chapter! Hopefully there'll be even more in the next! Thank you for reviewing!**

**Thank you to all reviewers, anonymous and signed! Please review if you haven't!***


	44. Chapter 43

*After who knows how long, Chapter 43 has been published! BTW, did you know I posted this chapter a few days earlier (unedited) on Detective Conan World? My penname's Aeyra there as well, so if you're interested, you can catch the gist of a chapter a few days earlier. ^-^ I made a youtube video with me playing Shinichi's Song (or Ayumi's Theme, but I call it Shinichi's Song) and the username is iluvshadowclaw. Well, I hope you like the chapter! It's another 4,000 word ends with a cliffhanger chapter! Please review! P.S. Thank you everybody for over 11,000 hits!*

Chapter 43

The woman spoke no words as she approached him slowly, her unhurried footsteps contrasting with Ryuu's racing heart, so much like the beating of a hummingbird's wings. Her face was expressionless, and filled with a sense of confidence and determination that he couldn't comprehend. It made him shiver even more, trying to back up into the bed when he came to realize that he was already leaned up against the headboard.

She bent down to the boy, still lying on the soft feather mattress, and smiled- a grin that was enigmatic and sly, a mystery. "A secret makes a woman, woman, but I'll tell you later. It's a promise," she answered as a loud knock sounded from the door. Voices called from the other side, but they were indistinct and Ryuu couldn't hear them over the pounding of his heart. _Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump!_ "I've got things to do. Just wait here while I finish up, 'kay?" She placed her two fingers to her lips, and winked at him.

Patting him gently on the head, she turned around and retreated towards the door where she had come from; letting in light for a split second- and then it disappeared, leaving him in near-darkness once more.

_What should I do now? _thought Ryuu, head spinning with fear. The last time he'd been a situation close to this was the kidnapping incident a few weeks ago, but then he'd had someone tell him how to escape, _Ai_ telling him exactly what to do. This woman had a very similar aura to the one who had hit him in that cold, dark room, after he'd been kidnapped- _what did she call herself again?_- oh right, it was Viura.

He hadn't seen this new woman's face through his terror clouded vision and the dim lighting, but he was almost sure it was the same person. Blonde, with piercing eyes- and the same exact feeling- confidence, with a touch of grief and a need for revenge at the edge of it. However, something felt a little off. Now what was it…?

He lay back down, pulling the blanket off to see his ash-tipped clothes and sneakers. At least nobody had changed his clothes. That would have been rather awkward. But, the ash confirmed his nightmare. There really had been a fire, and he had been taken here.

It couldn't be a hospital; it was much too _comfortable_ for that. There was no sickly medicine smell or the fresh scent of cots; it was just a straight, calming perfume, something that reminded him of the cologne his dad would wear to big meetings. At the thought of his dad, tears started to well up in his eyes. What had happened to his parents?

As far as he remembered, they had not mentioned any plans of leaving the house that afternoon. His mom had said she was going to cook a big welcome-back feast and his dad was helping her with it. He knew that a fire of that degree and magnitude was impossible to survive unless you happened to run out the front door the moment it started. The kitchen wasn't right next to the front door.

He recalled the gentle fragrance of his mom's silky blonde hair as she hugged him tight; she was a foreigner and she had given Ryuu her determined green eyes. His dad's eyes were a deep chocolate brown, but they were filled with strength and courage. He had inherited his raven black hair from his father, along with the spirit of an officer. So many memories, so many things. He prayed with all his heart that they weren't dead, and that the woman who had been in this room with him wasn't going to kill him; he had felt her aura, and she had definitely murdered people in the past, but her motives were unreadable.

Ai had said that being in their business was dangerous, and he was at risk if he told anybody. But, he had kept his word! He hadn't even made a single suggestion to his parents! Hell, he hadn't even had time to see them before that fire. Searing, angry, devouring flames, eating away at whatever was left, killing anything inside. No mercy given, nothing held back, a full-powered onslaught of death.

Would it have happened if he hadn't walked back home? If he had stayed at the hospital a little longer? Was it possibly his fault? _Please don't let it be that way! Kaa-chan! Tou-chan! Please don't tell me you're dead! _he prayed silently, bowing down his head in fervor.

A slight rustle from the corner alerted him to the woman's return, and she walked up to him, smiling painfully as if she had just heard some bad news. Her mouth opened, and she spoke, but not the words he had wanted to hear. "I'm Jodie Starling from the F.B.I. We're here to protect you."

Surprise much?

Somewhere in a different place, a different woman was talking to a different boy. Where you ask? Beika Central Hospital.

"Where did you come from?" asked Kaito, hostility and fear in his blue eyes as he stared at the platinum blonde woman standing at the edge of his cot. She was silent and still, a feline quality to her, looking like she was ready to pounce on him.

She stared at him seductively, red irises glowing with something indefinable- what could it be? He tried to figure out what emotion was behind those bloody red orbs that scared him to absolute death, but the only word he could come up with was _powerful._

"My dear Kaito-kun, I couldn't help but hear your argument with- what was that girl's name again? - Aoko, was it?" She avoided his question, throwing her own into the spotlight and causing him to be greatly confused. How would this stranger know about Aoko? About the argument? It was nearly impossible to hear what was going on inside the room when the door was closed, and the only people there had been the usual posse. Heiji, Kazuha, Ran, Hakuba, and Aoko- no Ai.

"Who are you? What do you want?" His tone implied 'Get out of here before I kill you' but it was obvious he had neither the strength- nor the courage to do so. His voice was quavering as he stared at her, looking like a bird locked into the eyes of a snake, terrified, but unable to look away. Hypnotized.

"My name is Viura, but feel free to call me anything." She smiled, hiding her fangs behind her lips, winking at him so for a moment she looked like a normal teenager, cheerful, definitely not evil. "I'm here to help you, Kaito-kun. I can get you out of here for good."

"I'm leaving in three days anyways. I don't need _you_ to get out." It was easy to detect the doubt behind his uneven speech, the urge to fall captive into Viura's eyes, drawing him deeper and deeper into a mysterious new place, a true enigma….

Suddenly, he jerked his head around; trying to make sure he didn't stare into those crimson orbs, not wanting be sucked into their depths. Something told him he shouldn't look no matter what; make sure he wasn't tricked by those rose-colored eyes, to hold his ground.

"Don't be like that, Kaito-kun." She made sure to repeat his name, putting more and more honey into her voice as she continued. It had been a while since she had last used her hypnosis abilities, but they were sure working well. It wouldn't be long before the boy cracked. She chuckled mentally. The fun hadn't even started yet. "I only want to help you. You want freedom right? Freedom like that Ai girl suggested?"

She had meant to kill the little girl when she walked by, vulnerable and an easy target, but realized if they noticed Ai was missing, it would cause them to be even more protective of her real target, Kaito. Standing a whole corridor away, using a listening bug she had attached near the room, she heard their banter about 'going outside' and 'don't leave this room' giving her all the tools she needed to seduce the boy into her hands.

After the main fire of the dispute was over, she proceeded to her next goal, the assassination of Miyazaki Ryuu. She had snuck into his house, taking note of the voices and scent which told her how many people were in the building. Two adults- and one young boy. Smiling, she poured the gasoline on the ground and dropped the match.

An explosion immediately erupted from where she was standing and she skillfully avoided the plume of flame that threatened to singe off her already short hair, tinted a unique strawberry pink that the inferno made all the more vivid. She heard the screams as the fiery tongues made their way into the kitchen where the family was, and the desperate shoving of chairs as they started to run, much too late, towards the front door, which, unfortunately for them, was quite far from the kitchen. It was a very large house.

A second blast emanated through the building, and she knew that the blaze had found the gas-fueled stove. It was over, her job was done. Skipping out of the house, the fire licked her feet and fire-proof suit, but it felt like a pleasant sauna, warm and comfortable. Not the burning inferno of hell she had made it.

She had left well before the fire trucks arrived, knowing that no matter what they did, there was no way they could bring the dead back to life. Her mission had succeeded; not even all the luck in the world could protect that dragon twice. Especially not from her.

Only thing was, there was part of her that denied she had actually killed Miyazaki Ryuu. This whining, doubtful, annoying part of her that said she had failed. How could she have? What she heard and smelled clearly confirmed the presence of two adults (his parents) and him, the boy. Why the heck would there be another kid in his house at FREAKING dinnertime?

_Maybe they had brought another boy over for a 'playdate' or whatever they call it now? What if he had a friend, then it could easily be explained. Just because _you_ never had a friend doesn't mean the possibility doesn't exist. You have to make sure, Viura. _She hated her inside voice that reminded her of Vermouth even though they sounded completely different. It was probably the fact that they were almost always talking trash about her.

She hid her now constantly conflicting emotions about herself and Vermouth behind a well-developed Poker Face, still smiling at Kaito, luring him into her eyes, her being, letting him sink…

"Can you really give me freedom?" he asked, hope in his voice. It was the response she had been waiting for; she had unlocked the tightly sealed gate.

"Quite easily. But I won't be able to take you back. I wouldn't want to. Not back to those liars." Now the true deception began, starting the ruse she would implant in his head.

"Who are you talking about?" he inquired, eyes filled with confusion, suspicion- _desire_. "Are you talking about my friends?"

"They're just trying to trick you, Kaito-kun." _Okay, Viura. Don't break eye contact, and make sure to keep it smooth, realistic. Even if he forgot everything, this kid isn't stupid. _"Don't you remember me? I'm your best friend, but it's been so long since I've seen you. I missed you so much."

"I don't recall ever seeing you before. I remember seeing my friends though. I can remember Aoko." He narrowed his eyes as he skeptically scanned her face for a hint of pretense, but he couldn't find anything, only blatant honesty that raised his doubts even higher.

"She tricked you into thinking those things. That sneaky witch." She put the perfect mixture of emotions into her voice, hatred, disbelief, and disgust. It was done with such perfection that Kaito was starting to feel himself falling in step with her words, believing them despite his intent to look beyond them.

"Where did I know you from?" he asked, curious to learn more about this new, alluring, friend of his.

"You worked with me in the Black Organization. We're not the bad guys she said we are; we're trying to save the world. They just want you on their side. Trust me; they're not here to help you." She shook her head solemnly, trying to get her point across.

"How do I know whether or not I can trust you?" His face suddenly filled itself with fury as he retaliated, letting out his fear, like a cornered animal. "How do I know _who_ to believe?"

"You don't, and that's the problem, Kaito-kun." She sounded crestfallen, as if truly beaten down by a friend. "I wish I could help you, but if you don't want it, then I guess I can't."

_She's giving me a choice? _he thought wonderingly. _Even Aoko didn't do that… _"Before we leave for good, can you just let me go outside for a while? Please?"

"You're going with me? Really, Kaito-kun?" Her features suddenly lit up with delight, while on the inside she was laughing deviously. If Kaito _hadn't_ chosen to come with her, she'd have been forced to use harsher tactics, more than just plain hypnosis and seduction.

"Yeah, I'm sick of this place."

"I feel like something's wrong," murmured Ran to Kazuha and Aoko. They were having a sleepover in Shinichi's house, the girls gathered in Kazuha's room. Heiji was talking with Hakuba in the library downstairs. "What about you guys?"

"I don't feel anything." Kazuha stretched luxuriously, yawning as she extended her arms above her head. She was tired, but not quite ready to go to sleep yet. She was much too tense for that. Aoko and Kaito's fight had shaken them all.

"I think I know what you're talking about, Ran-chan," Aoko said, staring out the window at the half-moon, shrouded slightly by the dark clouds. "I can't tell exactly what it is, but it makes me think of Kaito."

_She thought their discussion was over. He seemed content enough after she had shot him down, and she hugged him to let him know it was all right. She hadn't expected him to explode on her._

"_I don't want this!" he screamed, pushing her off. His blue eyes were filled with a fire she hadn't seen in what felt like absolutely forever, something that was pure determination and a trace of loathing. "I want to go outside! I don't want to be trapped in here! I hate this frickin' place!"_

"_Kaito!" she gasped, taken aback by his sudden outburst. "I thought I promised you that you can leave this place soon!"_

"_How can I believe you?" he challenged, hopping off of the bed. "You've said the same thing for the past few weeks! I took one step out of this room with Ai, and you kicked her out. Do you really know what's best for me? If you do, then tell me why you think that way!"_

_The other teenagers sat solemnly on the bench beside the wall, watching the fight unfold right in front of them, unable to do anything to stop the two former best friends from starting all-out nuclear warfare. Ran made a move as if she was about to stand up, but Hakuba pulled her back down. "It's probably for the best to let them duke it out themselves. It's their problem, not ours, not even if we want it to be."_

"_But-" she protested, then she calmed down, listening to Shinichi. _

Ran, _he said. _Hakuba's right, this is their fight. Don't interfere. They need to decide this for themselves. _He heard her small squeak of dissent, but she settled back onto the crowded bench, putting her hands over her ears so she wouldn't have to hear the arguing. It made her think of when her parents separated. A painful memory she never wanted to revisit._

_Curses, insults, heated cries flew across the room, from Aoko to Kaito, Kaito to Aoko, and then silence, as both of them stopped, staring each other angrily in the eye. It was far from a conclusion, but it was the end of round one of which Aoko had won at a bitter cost._

_Kaito refused to even go within two feet of her, causing her to cry and beg. With an arrogant, rude 'hmph!' he hopped back onto the cot and faced the wall, wishing that there was a window instead of cold hard concrete to look at._

_Crying, Aoko walked back towards Ran and Kazuha's comforting hugs that were half-filled with sympathy. All of them were split between Aoko and Kaito's decisions, between freedom and safety. Which was the better choice? Not even the high school geniuses Shinichi, Heiji, and Hakuba could figure it out. _

_All of them fervently hoped they would never have to make that choice. Except Shinichi, who wouldn't even have the chance to decide. _I almost wish I could, _he thought, with only Ran to hear. _It would at least mean I was still living.

The phone started ringing from downstairs, a distant, impatient bellowing. None of them bothered to get up, knowing that one of the boys would get there first anyways.

"I got it!" cried Hakuba and Heiji at the same time, placing their hands, light and dark, onto the receiver.

"I got here first you know!" said Heiji, a playful, semi-angry frown on his face.

"So what?" scoffed Hakuba, arrogance dancing around in his icy blue eyes. "It's not like it really matters."

"Then take your stinking hand of the phone!" cried Heiji, trying to pick it up. "It might be something important!"

"I'll take it then!" Hakuba pulled the telephone out of Heiji's grasp, picking it up with a formal voice, his foreign accent ringing through his pleasant words. "Hello, this is the Kudo residence."

"I usually answer the phone with, 'This is Heiji speaking'," protested Heiji, crossing his arms in annoyance.

"That doesn't really apply here, does it?" questioned Hakuba. "You have to be polite while talking on the phone. This still is Kudo-kun's house, and if it's not his, then it's his parents." He held put a finger to his lips to tell the dark-skinned teen to shut up, and listened intently. "Mm-hm, mm-hm… WHAT? WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

"Oy, Hakuba!" Heiji shook Hakuba furiously when he didn't respond, the manners that the blond had been spouting about no longer applying based on the shouting that was done into the receiver. Something was really wrong. "What happened? Tell me!"

Hakuba's face whitened, contrasting with his honey-blond hair, eyes frozen in shock. "Okay, I understand. Give us about half an hour. Thank you." Shaking, he put down the phone.

"We heard you screaming, Hakuba-kun!" panted Aoko, who had sprinted down the stairs followed by the other two girls. "Did something happen?"

"It-it's Kuroba-kun. He's not in his room, and he's not in the surrounding corridors or anything! His door was found unlocked, as well as nearby emergency exit. They think he escaped." He looked at Aoko's devastated face, waiting for the barrage of insults that he had become so used to.

"Kaito," she whispered, nearly inaudible, lips forming the name several times more, silent as she took in the news. "Are you sure about this?"

"Positive. The doctor wants us to go over right away; he says there's something that we need to see." He walked towards the coat stand where his thick leather jacket was hanging. "What're you waiting for? We can't let anything happen to Kuroba-kun!"

They stood still for a few moments more, shell-shocked. Then Ran jolted to her senses and followed Hakuba's lead. "Call a taxi; it can be hard to flag one down from this street. They don't come very often."

"Got it." Hakuba whipped out his cell and started dialing the keys, letting out their little musical _beeps. _"I would like to request a taxi to Beika District 2-chome, 21-banchi, please. Okay, we'll be waiting. Thank you." He turned around to look at the others. "It'll be here in five minutes, ten minutes tops."

Aoko fidgeted nervously as she put on her coat, looking as if she were about to throw up from fear and guilt. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have been so mad at Kaito; if anything happens to him, I'll-"

"Nothing's happened to him yet, Aoko-chan," assured Kazuha, secretly thinking about when she had thought Heiji had gone missing. "Maybe he's just sulking and hiding in a corner somewhere. He'll be fine; he can take care of himself even without his memory."

She nodded, tears falling down her face, singeing her skin as they rolled down. Kazuha's words meant nothing to her. _Why did I have to be so darn harsh? Maybe if I had just listened for a while, maybe if I hadn't been so damn stubborn this wouldn't have happened!_

"Could you get yourself to the hospital right now, Ai-chan?" Ran was talking on her cell phone, explaining the situation to a sleepy Ai. "I'm sorry for waking you up, but it's important. Please?"

It must have been a yes, because Ran was smiling in a half-hearted way as she ended the call. "If he's hiding, Ai-chan probably has the best chance of calling him out right now. She was on his side."

"I thought I knew what was best for him. Funny how an elementary-schooler beat me there, isn't it?" Aoko murmured, voice cracking.

"She's had a lot of experience with things like this; maybe even worse things." Heiji started walking out the open door, waving at a bright yellow car. "Taxi's here, let's go!"

"You haven't been able to find him yet?" cried Aoko in disbelief as she burst into the room, shouting at the doctors. "Why?" They had gathered into Kaito's empty room, staring at the floor, avoiding Aoko's harsh glares. One of them approached her warily, swallowing before he spoke.

"We've tried searching most of the wings, but we didn't see him anywhere. And I think it might have been-" The doctor mumbled something indecipherable. Heiji strained his ears to hear, but he couldn't even make it out.

"What was that?" she asked, an accusing tone in her voice. "What do you think it might have been?"

"A kidnapping," a nurse answered for the incoherent doctor. "Somebody left a note on the bed. Here it is."

The rest of them gathered around Aoko as she read the note, realizing quickly that it was Kaito's handwriting she was reading. A beautiful messy scrawl that she could recognize anywhere.

_I'm not really sure what to do anymore and I don't know even what the truth is. Someone came in to pick me up, someone I think I can trust. I don't know if I can trust any of you after what happened today, and I don't want to face it again. Viura said you were all lying to me and I listened to her. I'm leaving to go with her. If this is the wrong choice, then sorry to you all, but I don't think it is. Send the little girl Ai my regards; she's the only one who thought like I did._

_Kuroba Kaito_

_Or is it Bordeaux?_

Aoko's knees gave in, and her tears smeared the messy inked handwriting as she cried into her hands, feeling the full effect of her mistake. She felt somebody tap her on the shoulder, but she didn't react, preferring to sniffle alone.

"The ink is still smudging, and it's a kind I recognize." Heiji rubbed his finger against the paper, his detective instincts taking over. "It hasn't been over an hour since he wrote this, we might still be able to find him; it would be impossible for him to have gone very far."

"Viura," whispered Ai, who had just arrived, wearing a coat and striped pajamas underneath. She hadn't had time to change when Ran's desperate call woke her out of deep slumber. "I recognize that name." Her face blanched with fear, and her eyes stared straight forwards, remembering those fearful blood red irises. _Viura. _A woman who was part of- No, this could not be happening.

"Wait, Ai-chan, do you mean-"exclaimed Ran, remembering how Ai had explained the camping incident to them, the phantom bomber who had disappeared. A young woman, slightly older than a teenager, with a wicked smile, short strawberry-tinted blonde hair, snake fangs...

With her face as pale as the snow lying on the ground outside, she spoke, her voice quavering, eyes staring at the ground. "He's been taken by the Organization."

*Yeah, Kaito is no longer with them. He's been taken by Viura. ^-^ How's _that_ for a cliffhanger? Good enough? Chelsea, don't tell them what's going to happen! (she won the spoiler question and asked about parts of what's happening next.) And I'm sorry for spelling your name wrong, Loo _Shuenpi. _For some reason, I always think Shuenpei when I see your name, I wonder why. Anyways, please review, and check in about a week for chapter 44! Wish me luck at my Science Olympiad Competition on Monday!*~Aeyra


	45. Chapter 44

*I know. It's been almost two weeks since the last update but I've been busy. The week this was supposed to be typed, I had to study for my Science Olympiad Competition (which my team got fifth in our region for, by the way.) in the events Optics, Ornithology, Can't Judge a Powder, and Road Scholar. We're going to the states on April 29th, and I'm pretty happy about it. (except it's a five hour drive and we're taking a freaking school bus.) Um. Warnings for your prospects for a chapter next week. This weekend is my study weekend for my MathCounts competition (state competition) which is next week Friday-Saturday, therefore, I most likely won't be able to write enough this weekend because of math and my science project that I'm working on with my friends. We're making a music video about Archimede's, Pascal's, and Bernoulli's Principle. I sigh at our weirdness... Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter and please review at the end! It's really, really appreciated!*

P.S. Join Detective Conan World! It's a really awesome forum/wiki with lots of cool people in it! It's fun, and you can chat with a bunch of people! (why am I advertising this? cuz Mohorovicic thinks DCW needs more people, so please join, if only for my begging... Why can't I insert an onion head here...)

Chapter 44

"I-it can't be," stuttered Aoko, eyes losing their furious light, starting to stare down at the little girl. "How could Kaito have let himself get captured? That's ridiculous!" Her anger jumped once again, but it was clear that she knew and understood the situation they were in now. That Kaito might have-

"This isn't the time to just sit here and worry our heads off!" screamed Heiji, looking as if he were about to explode. He couldn't let anything happen to the magician; it just wouldn't be right. Memory or no memory, he had become a friend, somebody he had to protect. There was no way he was letting somebody from the Black Organization kidnap him. "While we're talking, they could be _killing_ him right now! We have to start searching! Otherwise, there's no possible way we can find him."

Aoko cringed, as if stung, at the word _'killing'_. She almost lost Kaito just a week ago. To lose him again would completely ruin what was left of her. Kaito was a part of her, the other half, the one who had promised to always be there for her through good times and bad. But that side of him didn't exist anymore, did it? She had tried to pry it out, to no avail, only causing him to get angry at her. To abandon her.

Broken sobs came out from her throat despite her efforts to hold them back. Even though she felt she had connected with him, the _new_ him, he had left. It meant his kiss, her first kiss, meant nothing. That all the times he had responded to her hugs meant _nothing._ Not anymore at least.

"Aoko-chan," murmured Ran, not sure of what to say to the crying girl. Even she, who had lost so much, couldn't relate to this. At least she knew that Shinichi loved her. She looked to Heiji and Hakuba and said, "You guys start searching. Kazuha and I will look after Aoko-chan until she gets better."

They nodded, knowing that their opponent's head-start was already too large for their liking. "You guys just head back home once you're finished. It'd be too troublesome to try and find us; don't follow us," said Hakuba as evenly as he could possibly manage. They thundered down the hallway, splitting up when the route opened up in two different directions.

"Hakuba, my cell number's 692-294-2955, can you remember that? I need you to call me if you find any footprints or anything once you hit an exit," asked Heiji as they paused to decide which direction to go.

"I got it. Mine is 692-395-2156. I'm heading right- you take left." Hakuba raced off, leaving Heiji in his wake. He owed Kaito so much already; it would only be another sin to add onto his already too-long list. He couldn't let anybody kidnap Kaito. He just couldn't.

Heiji only caught a small glimpse of the emotion in his fellow detective's eyes as he dashed away, but the thought of that tortured, pained look stuck with him, making him realize it was based off of something he wouldn't be able to understand. Everybody but he and Kazuha had lost something important to them, something that might never be restored. No matter how much they sympathized, there was nothing that could replace the experience needed to comprehend what the others were going through. Nothing. He didn't like feeling left out, but he was glad that he hadn't gone what they'd been through. Just the thought of losing Kazuha made him shiver in fear.

The hospital lights were off, seeing that it was almost midnight, the witching hour, and nobody should really be awake, let alone searching the lonely halls. They had been turned on for a short period of time during the frantic rush where the doctors scoured every nook and cranny, but it was dark as Heiji ran through, using his cell phone as a flashlight.

_Dammit, _he thought as his heart pounded with fear and adrenaline. _How could that kid let himself be kidnapped after we've done so much for him? Or did he really leave of his own free will? _The idea terrified him as he imagined what could have been done to the thief that would make him believe that he was part of the syndicate.

"_Or is it Bordeaux?" _The words flew through his mind as he processed them as fast as a computer. _Bordeaux is any wine grown in the Bordeaux region of France. It's an alcoholic beverage just like the rest of the agents, _he deduced, almost unwilling to believe. He remembered back just a few minutes ago as Aoko read the note. Her expression: sad, angry, guilty, shocked. As he plugged it into the equation he had created, it meant she could recognize the handwriting. It belonged to none other than the magician in question.

And what about the name he had mentioned? Viura? The name wasn't unfamiliar to him; having done research in alcohol after Ai explained that all of the high-ranking agents in the Organization went by a code name, specifically drinks. But somehow he couldn't remember exactly what it was.

A sign flashing 'Emergency Exit' shone in front of him, and he inspected the door before he opened it, trying to find irregularities that would give him clues. Scanning the dust at the bottom, he noticed a single, long strand of platinum blond hair. He pulled out a small plastic bag- something he always carried with him in case of an unfortunate accident- and carefully tucked the lock into it so he wouldn't lose it. You never knew; it could well be vital information. Not to mention with the F.B.I. on their side, running DNA tests would be possible.

Opening the door, a blast of wind hit him full in the face as he leaned down and searched the ground for any footprints. And sure enough there they were, the deep imprints in the snow. He let out a small chuckle; how easy it was to find the footprints. Though it was more than a little strange that they didn't even bother to try concealing their tracks…

He dialed Hakuba's number into the phone, having memorized it after only hearing it once. The other end rang once, twice, thrice, _Pick it up, dammit! _And then the blond's arrogant, foreign voice answering him.

"Hello, Hattori-kun. Have you found anything?" he asked somewhat casually, not letting any emotion show through.

"You bet I have!" replied Heiji, annoyed with the teen's stuck-up behavior. What he didn't know was that Hakuba's way of coping, trying to hide behind a cool, icy voice, keeping it concealed behind a tight mask. "I got their footprints here in the snow. Go down the corridor I went and then turn right to get to where I am. See you in a minute!"

"Oy, wait a-" Hakuba was cut off, and he sighed as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. Unlike Heiji, he had brought a flashlight. Navigating through the empty passages, he wondered just how feasible the task of finding Kaito would be. The guy was definitely alive, and he was pretty sure that they weren't planning to kill him.

Why the heck would you go through the trouble of sneaking into a hospital and stealing him away if you just meant to kill him once you walked out the door? It made no sense. Even if murdering him outside made it easier to clean up; it would be quite simple for such a large crime organization to cover it up. A few words from more politically powerful agents and nobody would even bother to investigate. Okay, not that far, but the real murderer would never be convicted.

This all pointed to a more hideous truth, one that said he had been taken _for good. _They wanted him on their side, and they had succeeded in tricking him. If their plans continued to go smoothly, the next time they would meet would end in disaster. They would be enemies. Not that they weren't before, but it would be more than a game. It would be for real. He shivered as he reached the door.

"Aoko-chan, are you _sure_ you're okay?" asked Ran for the fifth time. Her light blue eyes were alight with concern for the other girl, who was still shaking from crying.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she sniffled, wiping at her eyes with a tissue. She had spent the past ten minutes sobbing her heart out until she ran out of tears to weep with. It was just so hard to think that Kaito, her friend, her lover, would just disappear like this. Which one was worse? Knowing he was about to die, or not knowing anything at all?

_Doesn't matter now, _she thought glumly. _They both happened, and there's absolutely no point in choosing which one hurts more. They're both so painful…._

She clutched Kaito's letter, as if holding it tighter would somehow bring him back to her. The words were already smudged with countless droplets of water, rendering the note almost illegible. But she had memorized the words, every single one of them.

_I'm not really sure what to do anymore, and I don't know even what the truth is. Someone came in to pick me up, someone I think I can trust. I don't know if I can trust any of you after what happened today, and I don't want to face it again. Viura said you were all lying to me, and I listened. I'm leaving with her. If this is the wrong choice, then sorry to you all, but I don't think it is. Send the little girl Ai my regards, she's the only one who thought like I did._

_Kuroba Kaito_

_Or is it Bordeaux?_

"Viura," she whispered, thinking of the mysterious name that Kaito had written, not a name of an agent she had heard of before. Was it even an alcohol?

Ai was still reeling from shock in the corner of the room, trying to process the name of the member that kidnapped Kaito. _Viura. _A woman that looked exactly like Vermouth. _Viura. _A menacing, seductive voice, and cruel laughter that echoed through the small wooden cabin. _Viura. _Evil, blood red eyes that seemed to pierce through you, not natural, and all too terrifying.

The woman who had trapped her and Ryuu in the cabin, hit him, threw him down to the ground as he struggled against her grip. Now that she thought back on it, most women didn't have the strength to lift up a ten year old boy with one arm, did they? And throw him that hard onto the ground….

What was she? Being a scientist, Ai had a slight suspicion that the Black Organization had been experiencing with genetics. That wasn't her department, but she had heard rumors of a successful super human that had been developed in the darkness of the already shadowed syndicate, powerful, deadly. Just the thought was more than enough to send shivers up her spine.

When she heard Aoko say the name, her mouth involuntarily opened, and she uttered the words, "I know who that is." She regretted it almost instantly.

Aoko approached her slowly, but with the air of a raging lion, eyes flaring with fury. And then, the explosion she had become so used to. "Then who is it? Tell us you-"

"Aoko-chan," said Kazuha while pulling her away from Ai, who was still petrified. "Anger is not going to help you here. Just calm down and everything will be fine."

_As if, _thought Shinichi sarcastically.

_Shinichi, _scolded Ran, sounding like an older sister. _Don't be so negative. You want Kuroba-kun back, don't you?_

_I do, but I really wish I could go with Hakuba and Hattori right now. That way I could actually have a purpose. I'm a detective, and I can't even investigate. You don't know how it feels to not be able to do anything, not even if I had all the opportunity in the world. I hope you never have to. _

Shinichi was growing more pessimistic by the day, going off in rants about how much it hurt to not be able to do what he loved best. Being a detective. She really wanted to help him, she really did, but what in the world could she do about it? In fact, at times, all his complaining did was piss her off. And now as her temper was on an extremely short fuse from stress and worry, it took all of her control not to burst out yelling at him.

"I think Viura is the woman who kidnapped Ryuu-kun and I." Ai stared at the ground, shaking from the memory of almost icy red eyes. Like a snake's. Like blood. "Sh- she was on the phone when she thought I was unconscious and… and…"

"_Well, if Gin's on it, I know he'll get the job done right!" _A man who frightened her even more than that woman, a man with long silver hair, a man with blue irises colder than dry ice, a man who would kill without a second thought. He had pulled the trigger on her sister, laughing as he delivered the news to her, then 'Sherry', and locked her up in that cell where she had changed into this tiny body.

He had been the one who killed Shinichi just for seeing a case of blackmail. While it was a high offense for Organization standards, Gin did it without a second thought. She bet he'd forgotten about that murder by now- Gin almost never bothered to remember the people he killed. _Unlike me, _she thought, thinking about her own sins. _I wish I never was been a scientist for them. I wish I never had to kill so many people; however inadvertently._

"It's okay, Ai-chan," said Ran, trying to urge the little girl into saying more. "Aoko's not going to hurt you." She motioned to the teen who was being held back by Kazuha, the Osaka girl, was telling Aoko to take deep breaths and calm down.

"It's not her. I'm just remembering what Viura said. She said that _Gin_ was the one who was supposed to set the bomb for Ryuu-kun's father. And I remembered what she looked like. Those terrifying red eyes that can see right through you. They made me think of the devil."

For a second, Ran and Shinichi thought they had heard Ai wrong. There was nobody in the world with irises the color of red. Within seconds, Shinichi was processing all feasible possibilities in his head. _She could have been wearing contact lenses for style. Maybe Haibara just saw her wrong. Or perhaps it was something worse than that…_

"A woman like that kidnapped Kaito?" gasped Aoko, starting to fight Kazuha's grip again.

"She looks more like an older teenager than a full-grown adult. Her hair is platinum blonde, and that time, her hair was pretty short. It was kind of like mine, but the style was different." She pointed the length of her hair, barely above her shoulders, and left the image to their imagination. "Somehow, I don't think she's human though. Or at least, not completely."

"That's ridiculous!"commented Ran. She would have laughed had the situation not been so serious. "I'm sure it was just that you were too scared to think straight."

"Can a normal nineteen year old lift a tall ten year old boy up to shoulder level with one arm effortlessly? Does a normal person have eyes like that?" she countered, aquamarine orbs flaring with fire. "The Organization has been experimenting with genetics for quite some time now, but I never knew what they were doing. I think these puzzle pieces we've been given fit quite nicely, don't you?"

_That syndicate definitely has the money and power to create a superhuman if they wanted to, _commented Shinichi, clearly in deep thought, trying to find a way to defy Ai. If they were up against a mutant, then what could they possibly do? _But how did they do the research? If Ai's correct in saying the woman's about nineteen or twenty, then they've had the technology to do it for a while. How have they managed to keep it a secret if it's been this long since the creation?_

"The Organization has its ways," said Ai, as if she could hear Shinichi while in truth she was just reading the expression on Ran's face. "We've been working on the APTX 4869 for over twenty years, but it was just released around the entirety of the syndicate when the first success was accomplished. A.K.A., Kudo-kun." She carefully watched Ran to make sure she wasn't insulted by her 'matter-of-fact- statement, and continued. "If they wanted to keep Viura secret, it would be quite easy. I imagine only the highest ranked agents know about her existence. And anyone else who finds out would be killed immediately. Why you ask? To protect the secret of her development. You never know who's a rat from somewhere else."

"A rat?" asked Kazuha dubiously, not exactly understanding what Ai meant.

"An undercover agent like that F.B.I. agent Akai Shuuichi. He once snuck into our Organization under the codename 'Rye' and dated my sister for a time." She squeezed her eyes tight, remembering her sister's smiles as she talked and raved about her new boy friend, 'Dai-kun'.

"_You know that guy I almost ran over with my car a couple of weeks ago? Moroboshi Dai? Well, I got to know him better and now we're dating! He's in the Black Organization too! Do you know him, Shiho? He goes by Rye!" Her eyes twinkled with delight as she did everything but dance around the room as Ai smiled gently at her older sister. She was glad that her sister had a reason to be happy._

"Anyways, details aren't important right now. We should probably head back to Kudo-kun's house now that Aoko is ready." _Hopefully, _she thought. _It's been long enough._

"It's fine, we can go now." Aoko picked Kazuha's hands off of her shoulders, looking depressed with the new information. "I'm tired to my wits end anyways."

"Aoko-chan," said Ran, sounding worried. It was such a change from her anger that she couldn't help but be concerned for the girl's sudden lack in spirit, whether it be furious or happy energy.

"It's okay, Ran-chan. I just wish I never said those things to Kaito."

"Yo-you're from the F.B.I?" stuttered out Ryuu, the words coming out in a jumble. "T-then- b-but- why?"

"We had to take you here to protect you. We know who attacked your house, and if they found out you were still alive, they would try to kill you again. For the time being, the world believes you're dead, Miyazaki-kun." The woman smiled sadly, wishing she didn't have to spill the news to the little boy.

"How? What do you know about it?" He instantly went on the defensive, something she had seen too many times before. Denial was such a common thing, especially in the case of children like him. That Organization was despicable, killing off kids just to protect themselves.

"Miyazaki-kun," she hushed, pressing her finger to his lips. "I need you to understand something before I continue. If I'm correct in saying this, then please tell me. You know about the Organization, don't you? I bugged this room and you were muttering about them."

"Ai-Ai-kun told me about them," he mumbled, sounding surprised. He then realized he had said Ai's name, which might have been dangerous, and refused to continue.

"Miyazaki-kun, I'm not going to hurt you. I already know about the little girl- I'm a friend of the man who rescued you two from the cabin. Remember Andre Camel?" she asked, probing at the edges, trying to get Ryuu to spill what he knew. It was important to her to figure out exactly how much he'd been told about the dangers- and how safe it would be for him to leave this protected building.

"That nice oji-san? You know him?" His voice was still filled with suspicion, but he lightened up at the mention of the kind man who had gotten them out of the cabin; even if it had almost been a complete disaster.

"Yes. But I need to know how much you've been told of the Organization. I won't hurt you or Haibara Ai. I promise."

He paused for a moment, thinking it through before starting, knowing that he wouldn't be able to take his words back. "I overheard Ai-kun telling all of the senpai-tachi about them. She said that they were evil and they were the ones who trapped me and her in that wooden cabin with all the other kids. Heiji-niichan said that her real identity is Miyano Shiho from the Organization and she was shrunk by the poison that killed Kudo Shinichi. And then later Ai-kun told me to keep what I heard secret even from my parents." He paused for a moment, suddenly remembering his priorities. "What happened to my tou-chan and kaa-chan? Are they okay? Are they?"

She stood shocked, but kept her surprise hidden under a well-used mask. That little girl was part of _them_? She was involved with the syndicate? She could even be involved with that hated _Vermouth_? _Keep it cool, Jodie_, she told herself, taking a deep breath. _Remember your priorities right now. This little boy comes first. He comes before your personal prejudices. Come on! Breathe in and out. _

But as she looked at Ryuu again, Jodie sincerely wished she didn't have to answer his question, didn't have to stare into his desperate, pleading emerald eyes. _But if I don't do this now, someone else will, and he deserves to know the truth. I'm sorry, Miyazaki-kun…_

"Your parents died in the fire. The police found their corpses. Miyazaki-kun, I'm so, so, sorry." She waited for his reaction, for tears, but in that one moment, nothing came. His eyes closed, and he sat as if paralyzed. Still. She remembered how it felt, to see her house in flames, to hear the words 'Your mom and dad are never coming back'. And just like him, she had lost her home and parents to the Organization. But this boy, he had lost more than that…

"So, I'm never going to see them again. Never?" He knew the answer to his question, knew it before Jodie even opened her mouth. But he wanted to hear the words, even if they hurt, because he had already accepted in his heart that his parents were dead.

"No. And, there's one other thing." She stopped, hesitating. Would this next part damage him even more? Should she tell him. _It's too late to take it back anyways, _she thought. "Your friend, Yamada Daiki, got caught in the fire too. We believe he was over at your house and waiting for you to come home."

"Daiki?" screamed Ryuu. Daiki was his best friend, the only kid in his grade he could really relate to. Daiki wanted to be on the bomb squad when he grew up, just like Ryuu, and they did almost _everything_ together. The disastrous camp was a rare exception to their usual habits. "You don't mean- you don't mean that Daiki-?"

"He's dead too. They believe his body is yours, and that's why you are currently believed to be dead." She held back her tongue about how lucky Ryuu was that his friend was caught in the fire. Otherwise, he would be dead. It was definite that they attacked knowing a young boy was in the house, but unfortunately for them it was the wrong one.

"Why did it have to be Daiki?" he asked, not coming out like a question, but more like a plea that she couldn't answer. "Why did it have to be him?"

She handed the boy a tissue as his tears started to flow, dropping onto the white sheets below. He hadn't expected his friend, his _best_ friend, to be dead. He had prepared himself enough to deal with his parents. He had told himself he wouldn't cry in front of this woman, but he couldn't help it. His wall had been torn down. _Daiki._

_*_**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! **I'm begging you! Please do it! Oh, I also drew some new things (they're photoshopped) and put them on deviantart and Detective Conan World, so please look at them when you have time! Other than that, see you next time for Chapter 45!*


	46. Chapter 45

*Author's Note: My MathCounts career is finally over. I really feel like crying, MathCounts was my top goal and priority for the past few years and now I'll never have it again. I'm so depressed... But anyways, I've been working on Chapter 45, and I am pleased to present it to everyone. As requested, I've included more about Kaito and Viura, but there's no Ryuu in this chapter. Next update? I'm aiming in two weeks because tomorrow I'm going to John Hopkins University to receive an award for getting a 760 on my SAT math in 7th grade (like, I scored it eight months ago) and I'll be out of the house for most of the day. As for my MathCounts result, I was 32nd in the state of Pennsylvania, and I as the captain led my team to a third place victory in the team round. This is the highest my school has ever been, and I'm very proud of our accomplishments. Spoiler Question Alert! 75th review gets a free spoiler question! (unless it's Chelsea because she already got a spoiler question) but please don't let that keep you from reviewing! Actually scratch that. Reviews up to 75 will get a free spoiler question! If you don't have an account and want the question, you'll have to leave your email address in the review to allow me to contact you. Please go onto Detective Conan World, the best fansite ever for DC! And while you're there, make an account and on the thread 'Final Username Change' vote Mohorovicic for me. Thank you. Please review!*

Chapter 45

"Where are we?" Kaito's voice seemed to echo for endless moments around the empty warehouses, the wind carrying it around with a high-pitched whistle, seeming to exaggerate the lonely atmosphere that surrounded the strange pair.

Viura was feeling the walls of a nearby building, seemingly trying to peel something off. "A passage to headquarters. Right now, I don't think it's completely safe to go to the HQ itself." With another scrape of the wall, a small, thin layer of plastic sheet came off to reveal a number pad. "Here we go. It always takes so long to find the keypad in this place."

"Keypad?" repeated Kaito dubiously. He was staring around at the depressing scene curiously, looking up at the brightening gray sky. They had driven in a bright red car- Viura had said it was a Reventon or something like that- and it took them a couple of hours to get here, even at the 90 kph they had managed to keep through the entire trip. "Why's there a password?"

"To keep people who don't belong here _out_," answered Viura patiently, fiddling with the numbers as she tapped the buttons with lightning speed. At each base, the password was different, and each of them was ultra-long. Most people cheated and wrote them down on a slip of paper, but she could remember every code with ease. _8395-2859-3958-9406… Seriously, what's so hard about it? _"Aaand we're in!"

There was a low creaking sound as the ground itself seemed to shift, and Kaito had to stifle a gasp of surprise as a hole opened up right below him. Snow and dirt piled into the bottom of what looked like a staircase, one that led down at least 20 feet. Viura replaced the little piece of plastic and then walked over to where Kaito was standing a few feet away.

Seeing his evident curiosity and the traces of fear in his eyes, she smiled and took his hand, winking at him as she said, "Let's go." Treading carefully down the steps, Kaito wondered exactly why he had followed this woman and trusted her enough to let go of his friends. Not that she hadn't been kind to him, understanding, helpful, it was just- he couldn't put his tongue on it. _A little _too_ perfect, _he thought. _But I like this better than being stuck in the hospital…._

When they were halfway down, the ceiling closed, leaving them trapped in the darkness. "Wait, what happened?" squeaked Kaito, feeling slightly claustrophobic once the last rays of light had been blocked out. There was a thunderous rumbling as the slab of metal slid back into place, disguising the entrance as a normal piece of gravel.

"It's just a security measure. We don't want anybody finding this place." _Not to mention if somebody _does_ happen to break in, we'll shoot them the moment they enter the door…_ she thought sarcastically, but not mentioning it out loud in case she lost the trust of the boy beside her.

Kaito nodded, still kind of unsure about why such advanced technology was needed. What were they hiding? Viura reached past him to knock on the door, and a screen next to it flashed and a face appeared on its surface. "Who is it?" A man's voice came out of a speaker near the screen and Viura matched it to none other than Vodka. Laughing, she answered back.

"You got put on guard duty, Vodka?" Her rose-colored eyes were shining with contempt for the man on the screen. "What happened? Mess up?" Kaito stood beside her, not sure if he should laugh as well. He grinned weakly beside her, not wanting to be left out.

"Never mind that, Viura," replied Vodka, sounding slightly embarrassed. He cleared his throat, adjusted his sunglasses, and then looked back up. "What's more serious is why that boy is with you. Who is he?"

"Oh, him?" She looked over her shoulder at Kaito, who flinched in response as Vodka's gaze flickered to him, cowering as he tried to look past the dark glasses. "Just a new, possible recruit I found. Anything wrong with that?"

"It's just that he looks familiar, that's all." Vodka pressed a button in front of him, and the door opened, revealing a dark hallway. "I'll turn on the lights for you. Where are you going? I need to unlock the right door."

"When did we add that part in?" asked Viura, looking slightly confused in the dim light of the screen. "The last time I remembered a security change was when we changed all of the passwords."

"It's just a precaution added in by the boss. There was a rat somewhere in a different department and he figured since we have the money, we might as well do this. So, where to?"

"I'm just going to my quarters. Scratch that actually- I'm going to take him to the boss so we can get him started." She winked at Kaito, and then pulled him forwards into the open door. "Thanks, Vodka!" she chanted as they entered the hallway which was much brighter than the room they had been in.

"This is a really, really long corridor," commented Kaito as they started strolling down the path. He looked around curiously, trying to see if there was anything special about the place. Instead, the pathways that surrounded him were nice and normal, reminding him of the hospital. Except there weren't any long windows to let in the sunlight, show the beauty of the awakening dawn. He wished Viura had let him stay outside a little longer to watch the sunrise, even if it was mainly hidden behind the clouds.

"These tunnels run for miles in all directions; they don't interfere with any other buildings or things like bridges and subways or such. They're pretty useful when you need to escape. And believe it or not, it's all secret," she informed him, looking back as she navigated through the turns and curves in the route, a slight grin on her face.

She personally preferred being above ground than below it, but there was a chance they would be seen by the detectives if they travelled using public roads. Not to mention that if they asked, she stood out enough by herself that any passerby would remember if they saw her. There was no possible way for the teenagers to find them here, miles outside of Tokyo and underground to boot. And also, Vermouth never used these tunnels, so she wouldn't have to bump into the woman either. That wouldn't be very pretty if it happened right now.

_Now that I have him here, I have to plan out exactly how I'm going to use him, _she thought. _Even if I don't use him to get rid of that woman, it helps to have such a gullible subordinate. He'll be useful if I try to frame her- he wouldn't even question my orders. At least, not in the state he's in._

A large conveyor belt-like object stood in the center of the long corridor, stretching for miles on end. "What is this?" asked Kaito, voice echoing around the tunnel.

"This helps us get around faster. Nobody wants to walk 25 miles to Tokyo, do they?" With that, she pushed him onto the contraption, and immediately it started moving at least thirty miles an hour.

"Wha-what?" screamed Kaito as he tripped from the sudden acceleration. "Get me off of this thing!"

"You'll get used to it!" assured Viura, holding onto the handle. "Just keep your balance! You can do it!"

After their long, frightening voyage, Kaito clung to the wall, breathing heavily as he complained. "Never, _ever_ make me do that again. Is this the right place?"

"Here we are, Kaito-kun," she said, pointing to a room a few yards down. Taking the handle, she opened the door to reveal a storage room. "Now stay quiet, okay? I don't want you to be too noticeable." Traveling the length of the room in an instant, she opened the exit and peeked outside, checking for any important agents before gesturing for Kaito to follow her.

It would be a bad thing if Kaito was known to be here before he was introduced to the boss. Even with her authority, if the upper agents like Gin or Vermouth happened to not like him, he would be dead before they even got there, no questions asked. Luckily, there were only a few nobodies, so she jaunted out, making sure to let go of Kaito's hand as to not seem strange.

The nobodies were silent as they watched Viura walk into of the entrance to the HQ, however conspicuous she seemed. Even though it was just rumors, they had heard many weird things about her, and they did not want to become her next victim. They did wonder however, who the tall, brown-haired youth walking with her was.

They took an elevator to the top floor of the high-class skyscraper, peaceful classical music pouring into the tiny space as it climbed floor by floor, the glass walls allowing them to view the outside- Tokyo captured in the beauty of a fiery dawn.

"It's so pretty," breathed Kaito, fogging up the glass as he leaned against the railing. Even Viura thought so as she looked past him, towards where the hustle of morning traffic was starting to gather, letting out their loud rambunctious catcalling. "This is so much better than the hospital. Don't you think so, Viura?"

"Yeah, aren't you happy you came with me?" she asked him, watching his face glow with delight as the sun painted it a rosy red color.

"It's really nice to be here. But-" He stopped, suddenly seeming to dim a bit. He frowned, looking downwards at his feet, thinking about what he had left behind. Was this really the right decision? _Never mind that, _he thought, shaking his head clear of distracting thoughts of Aoko. _I'm here right now. That's what matters._

"Kaito-kun? What's wrong?" Viura inquired, watching his abruptly crestfallen face. She knew the reason for his immediate lack in enthusiasm, but she found it hard to sympathize. Since when did she ever have friends? Never. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry about me…" His voice trailed off as an airplane caught his attention. "It's like a giant bird." His eyes followed it as it soared thousands of feet above even the tallest buildings, not taking his eyes off of it for a second.

For the first time, Viura took in the full effect of the picturesque scene in front of her, marveling in the wonder along with Kaito. Even though the boy didn't know anything, couldn't remember anything, still, he could reveal this to her. _Pretty weird, _she mused, a warm tone to her thought. _I don't remember ever thinking anything was so beautiful before…._

With a slight _ding!_ as the elevator door opened, revealing a carpeted room with walls that seemed covered in gold. They were draped with silk crimson curtains, shrouding landscape paintings and different pieces of valuable art. "Come on, Kaito-kun. We need to see Cognac."

"Is that the name of the boss you were talking about earlier?" Kaito looked around, swiveling his head back as the elevator closed, blocking out the rays of flame. He turned to the paintings around him, depicting things from an autumn day to an ocean storm, things he hadn't seen since he lost his memory. Some things he'd never seen, like a snowy mountain, and even a desert.

However, one thing started him reeling, and he backed up into a wall as he shut his eyes tight. "Kaito-kun?" asked Viura skeptically; wondering what had suddenly scared the boy so much. Confused, she looked to the painting of a school of fish, along with a few sharks. With realization, she laughed.

"Are you scared of fish, Kaito-kun? Is that it?" Her laughter, sharp and clear, rang out like bird song over the silence of the empty hallway, and her smile was bright as she wiped tears off of the corner of her blood red eyes. Even with her fangs and scary irises, she seemed the very picture of joy.

"It's not funny," replied Kaito, a defensive look on his face as he looked at her. "I don't know why, but for some reason I can't stand the sight of those creepy finny things. They just look so slimy, and those big gray ones have such big teeth, and _ugh!" _He gave a shiver of disgust, making the scene even more comical as he stuck out his tongue. "How do they _not_ scare you?"

Viura couldn't help but giggle harder as she stared at Kaito's pouty, childish face, filled with arrogance and a tone of defensiveness. "What's so frightening about them? They're just fish for crying out loud! You know, sushi and sashimi and the like? Ever had them?"

"No, and I don't ever plan to. Why are you still laughing? Stop, Viura-chan!" he whined, putting on big, puppy dog eyes. "Stop making fun of me!"

"Did you just call me 'Viura-chan'?" She sounded surprised, and a little happy. Nobody had ever called her that before, the closest thing was the boss's 'my sweet Viura'. She hadn't expected it to sound so- so- _warm. _It was touching, and she watched Kaito smile back at her.

"Well, yeah. I mean, you call me Kaito-kun so I thought I'd just add the 'chan' honorific there. If you don't like it, I can change it- I mean, it's not like it-" She pressed her two fingers to his lips, telling him to be quiet. With a wink, she stepped away, hand in her designer jacket.

"I don't mind, Kaito-kun. But if we don't hurry up right now, we might miss our meeting with Cognac. He's really busy, and before we know it, it'll be someone else's turn."

"But-" He looked around, slightly puzzled as he searched to see if there were other people. "There's nobody else here. If he's that busy, shouldn't there be a line?"

"There's more than one way in, silly!" She slapped him on the shoulder gently, pushing him towards the door at the end of the hall. "Now let's introduce you, Bordeaux!"

"Aoko-chan! Aoko-chan!" murmured Ran to the nearly sleeping girl. "Aoko-chan, we're almost back at Shinichi's house. Aoko-chan, wake up!"

"What's going on?" asked Aoko groggily, rubbing her eyes and yawning. She had fallen asleep on the taxi home, too tired and much too depressed to bother keeping her eyelids open. "Are we there yet?"

"Yeah, are you feeling any better?" Kazuha stared worriedly at the girl, knowing that she was liable to snap and/or burst into tears at any wrong word.

"No, but I'm too tired to cry or anything." She paused, and then opened her mouth again. "Where's the little girl, Ai? Shouldn't she be with us?"

"We had the driver drop her off at my house for the night. She said she didn't want to set you off by accident." Ran gestured to the taxi driver, who tipped his hat.

It had been hard finding someone who was still operating at one o'clock in the morning, but they had managed to flag down a taxi. Almost immediately after climbing into the car, Aoko had fallen asleep, and they had let her be. With her fiery, untamable temper, who knows what would have happened?

Ai had asked to be let off at the Mouri Detective Agency despite Ran's plead for her to stay with them for the night. _"It'll just bring more trouble. We see too differently." She motioned to the sleeping girl on the car seat. "You'll be better off without me anyways."_

"Thank you." Kazuha handed their driver a tip as the exited the car, half pulling half dragging out the exhausted Aoko. The Osaka girl groaned as she saw the long path to the door ahead. _Do I seriously have to walk her _all_ that way? _she wondered, hoping that the teenager would somehow regain her energy, even if it was in the form of anger. Kazuha could handle that. She was girlfriend to the most hot-blooded high school detective in Japan- and his fuse was definitely short.

"I'll help you, Kazuha-chan," grunted Ran as she took most of Aoko's weight. However, the girl stood up by herself and shoved off the two away.

"I'm not as desperate as to need people to help me walk. I have freaking legs." She started walking steadily up the path, with Kazuha and Ran looking on somewhat guiltily.

_It's probably not that good an idea to baby her right now, _hinted Shinichi, watching Aoko tilt her head up in the air as if saying '_hmph'_! _Her pride is damaged enough as it is- not to mention the pain she's probably feeling right now. In a way, it's worse than us because it's more one-sided. Nakamori's taking all the pain by herself without Kuroba to help her. On the other hand, we're here for each other, and we can share the weight of the sorrow equally. _

_Yeah, Kaito-kun probably has no idea what's going on. Even if he's scared because he was captured by the Organization, Aoko is feeling quite betrayed right now, and she thinks it's her fault that he left. Do you think that note was real? _asked Ran curiously, wanting his opinion.

_Well, it's hard to forge handwriting on a moment's notice. Kuroba wasn't even a target until his identity was revealed, and I doubt that he used his real handwriting on his Kid notices. Otherwise, it would be too easy to recognize. But since the syndicate is so big, it wouldn't be too hard to imagine them collecting his tests and essays from school and learning how to write like him. _That was the part of Shinichi she loved to listen to, no matter how cold and analytical he sounded. This was _him_. The piece that had been missing for so long.

Aoko reached the door and laid her hand on the knocker, letting her tears run freely down her face, out of the sight of Ran and Kazuha who were approaching the entrance a little more slowly. Had Kaito really stayed here just one day before everything had happened? Before he was shot so many times? Before he lost his memory?

She didn't know how he had passed those few precious hours, but she wished she could. He had probably laughed, smiled, and just been Kaito. Playful, cocky, sneaky, devious, and maybe even played a prank. _Not likely, _countered her mind. _What kind of mood was he in when he met you that night?_

_Well, it was hard for that to be anything but depressing for both of us I'm sure. He just was turned into a wanted criminal- well, he was one already, but now everybody knows who he is. _With a sigh, she tried to open the door to no avail. _If Kaito were here he'd probably just pick it open in seconds. But the rest of us need stuff like keys…._

"The key's hidden in that fake rock right there," pointed out Kazuha, gesturing to a light brown stone lit a shining caramel in the moonlight. "Kudo-kun left a puzzle, but Heiji ended up throwing it away because he thought it was stupid."

Leaning down, Aoko opened up the rock to find the key, which she immediately inserted into the lock. With a twist of her hand, the door swiveled open to reveal a messy room, complete with torn stuffing and thrown pillows. Her mouth shaped as an 'O', she walked in slowly; as if she thought she was trapped in a dream. What had happened while they were gone?

"Aoko-chan, what's-" Kazuha stopped as she surveyed the wreckage, just as shocked- if not more- than Aoko. "What do you think-"

"Shinichi thinks they were trying to find Pandora," whispered Ran, repeating Shinichi's words to the others as she stepped next to them. "That was their goal, wasn't it?"

_There's no other reason it would be like this, _explained Shinichi, sounding all technical again. _They wouldn't do something like this just to scare us; it would be absolutely pointless- a waste of time. However, I do find it strange that they left this much evidence- it's like they wanted us to know they were here. It doesn't seem to fit in with what Haibara told us- that they're always hiding in secrecy._

_Hattori's told us that the jewel was here- but he only mentioned it loosely while we were talking. That means that he saw Kuroba with it, but not necessarily knowing exactly where it was. It's probably in his room. _

_How do they know that he stayed here? _inquired Ran, looking around at the demolished room. _I thought we kept it secret._

_He probably told them himself, most likely out of fear. Hopefully it was out of fear at least. _His words translated to 'he may have believed he was really part of the Organization.'

"If they were trying to find Pandora here, it means that if they didn't manage to steal it, then it'll still be here!" exclaimed Aoko, getting worked up, her energy returning. That was the jewel Kaito had stolen only nights before- the night they both confessed their true feelings. "Do either of you know where it might be?"

"Um…" started Kazuha, putting on a pondering expression as she tried to remember the events of that night. "I don't know because Heiji told me to go to bed before Kaito-kun came back. Heiji might know though- he was talking to Kaito-kun- at least, I'm pretty sure he was." She recalled a slight thump and quiet voices since she had only been half-asleep, but she hadn't been able to discern words.

"Then can you call him?" asked Aoko, looking frantic as she jumped up and down in anxious anticipation. "I bet he and Hakuba-kun are just about finished with their investigation."

"No, Shinichi's got it. He says there should have been no reason for Kaito-kun to bother putting it in a hidden place or whatever because nobody from the Organization should have known he was here. The most he would have done is placed it in his bedroom drawer because he knows that neither Hattori-kun or Kazuha-chan would steal it. I think it's a pretty sound deduction," said Ran, once again the puppet.

_Pretty sound? Are you kidding me? _teased Shinichi in a playful voice. _I'm pretty sure the deduction skills of a famous high school detective like me- dead or alive- are usually right on. Wouldn't you say so?_

_Yeah, but if you're wrong right now and the jewel is still in the house, I'm going to make _you_ deal with Aoko-chan. She'd kill you again, and who knows where you'd end up. _Shinichi rolled his eyes, and smiled. _Probably not with me. _

_That would be hell. For both of us. _Ran gave a silent agreement to his statement, wondering what she would do without Shinichi's constant companionship. He would have to leave once the syndicate was taken care of, and at the rate they were going, it would definitely happen. He would be gone one day, and there was nothing that she could do to stop it. The only way for them to be together after that was to join him- and not in a way that he would encourage.

Shinichi didn't hear Ran's somewhat suicidal thoughts, and if he did, he would have tried to snap her out of it at all costs. Ran was glad of it- she didn't want to hear his opinions on this. It was her choice and hers alone. It wasn't like he could stop her after all….

Aoko thundered up the steps like a raging rhino as her mind whirled in circles. _Pandora, Kaito, Pandora, Kaito, Pandora, Kaito… _Her thoughts repeated these two words constantly as she chanted them under her breath. Even if she couldn't bring back Kaito, she would at least uphold his wish. To make sure the jewel didn't fall into the wrong hands, and to destroy it. That was the top priority.

_Which room was Kaito staying in? _she thought frantically, looking around as if there would be a huge lit up sign saying 'Kaito's Room Here'. Unfortunately, no such thing existed. And even worse, there had to be at least ten different rooms on the second floor.

"His room is the third one down on the left!" called Kazuha from downstairs, noticing Aoko's confusion. "It's a couple rooms away from the bathroom!"

The door was left open, having been left untouched after Kaito's untimely departure. Entering, she noticed that the room was surprisingly clean- it could have been described as pristine except for the bed which was left with the covers on the floor. Of course, Kaito wasn't the kind of person who usually did the bed, so it seemed untouched compared to everywhere else.

Aoko began pawing through the drawers and closet, trying to catch just a small glimpse of the blood red jewel that Kaito had told her about, a jewel with the power to grant immortality. It took her less than ten minutes to do, and Kazuha and Ran had come to help. No Pandora.

"Do you think they took it?" asked Aoko, staring at the floor in depression.

Shinichi's words echoed in Ran's head as she watched Aoko slump to the ground in frustration. _It's gone. They have Pandora…._

_*_Please review! I know I have a lot of readers out there who don't review, but please take your time to review just this once and tell me what you honestly think of this story. I don't spend 7 hours writing just because I enjoy it. I want to know that there are more than just three people out there who enjoy reading this story. Every review makes my day, so please, just this once, let me know who my readers are. Thank you.*


	47. Chapter 46

*Hello! I am finally back on ! I know it's been a while since I've done anything here, but I had writer's block, vacation, and I was addicted to Detective Conan World. Mainly the last one. *hehehe* (dodges tomatoes) Yeah, it's a stupid excuse, but it's the only one I've got other than I've been writing a HeiShin fic alongside this, which did not give me writer's block. So, um, yeah. Same deal and blah. Next chapter to be published who knows when. Oh, and try Detective Conan World. It has a great DC wiki, and great forums! I'm the fourth top poster! (which is the reason I'm never writing anymore, and neither is tonsofstuff. She's third top poster.) Read on, and please review at the end please!*

Chapter 46

"Viura, my darling, is that you?" The voice emanated from a corner of the darkened room. There was no light to illuminate the speaker, only enough leaking in from a small window near the high ceiling to lessen the shadows. The real light came from the flashing computer screens on the wall. "What do you have to talk to me about? It's not about Snake or that Miyazaki boy, is it? I already know what happened."

"It's not that." Viura's honey sweet, yet dangerous tone echoed in the empty space, red eyes glowing even in the shadows. The boss liked darkness, and never showed his face to anybody except the highest ranked agents. While she was not technically 'highly ranked', she was one of the only people to ever see his true self, not hidden in the shrouds of grey and black. "I want to nominate someone I've found to be my 'co-worker'."

"And who is this person?"

She and Kaito, who was shivering from both fear and the cold aura of the place, heard the almost silent revolving of a chair. He could feel the frozen glare, however invisible, of the sitting man. Like a tiger waiting to strike.

Viura hesitated slightly, unsure of what would happen to Kaito if the boss didn't happen to like what he was about to hear. Would he kill him? Mouth dry, she answered, "He's Kaitou Kid. And he's lost his memory." She hoped he would notice the hidden meaning behind it, _He's safe. He doesn't remember who he is._

"I see, I see. How about we let this phantom thief give himself a little introduction before I decide, shall we?" It sounded as if he were about to laugh, something that was both scary and held unpredictable consequences, as if daring someone to challenge hi. It gave absolutely no hints on Kaito's fate.

Kaito struggled to find the words, feeling icy barbs surround him as his tongue started moving, unsteadily forming a slightly convoluted sentence. "I-I'm Kuroba Kaito- and Viura-chan said that I used to be her friend before I got shot and that I lost my memory because of my-," he stopped for a moment, considering what he should call them, "other friends and-"

"I see." Cognac let the words hang on the heavy air, letting Kaito and Viura stand in the deathly, almost serene silence as he thought it over. The sound of his light breathing gave no hint, leaving his next actions as predictable as a tornado. "_Viura-chan_. Never knew you'd let someone call you that, my sweet Viura."

His comment was unnerving, avoiding the main topic and trying to throw her off his intentions. Viura stiffened, filled with worry for the boy who was starting to cower beside her, and then smiled. "I make exceptions every once in a while." _Two can play at this game, Daddy dearest. There's no way I'll let you touch him. I _can_ outfox you, _she thought, determined to ensure Kaito's safety. "Anything wrong with it?"

"Not at all. It's just so…" He paused for a moment, seeming to be searching for a word, "interesting to see you so close to someone. You haven't really opened up to anyone after Ver-"

"Please stop talking, Cognac." Viura was staring at the ground, red eyes gleaming with hatred as he started to say that name. That cursed name. "Can we get back to the topic on hand? I want Kaito-kun as my partner. Will you accept it?"

"You'll have to prove that he's capable first. Does he have any talents? I don't want to hand off my daughter to a disgraceful wretch." She could hear the malice in his voice, the evil in the honey-sweet tone that matched her own. While she liked the boss as a father, sometimes there was no possible way for her to remember that love. Not in a situation like this.

"It's not like that, Daddy." She let the 'Daddy' slide off her tongue, knowing it might appease his hidden anger. "I just want someone to work with. I thought he'd be a good choice."

"So, what makes you think he'll be a good choice? Is he good with a gun? Is he loyal? Is he helpful? Smart? I need the details before I can make a decision you know, dear." He sounded as if he was laughing, sending another jolt down Kaito's spine.

"Well, as Kaitou Kid I know he wielded a card gun. He should still have the muscle memory and it won't be too hard to introduce him to the real thing. He trusted me enough to follow me here, and he's not scampering off with his tail between his legs, so I know he won't leave under pressure. And of course he's intelligent. Could the Kid pull of all of those heists without a brain?" she challenged, sounding perfectly confident.

"Good point," he mused, the computer light seeming to glint off of a pair of eyeglasses. While he was facing them, only a faint outline could be seen, showing that he was rather tall and had a strong, but not too large, body stature. "I'll give you three weeks. How does that sound, Viura darling? That way, you'll have enough time to train him. Then I'll be the judge."

"That's perfectly fine, right Kaito-kun?" she asked him, pleased to see the relief in his blue eyes. She looked down at him, saw him smile weakly, happy to know that he was now allowed to leave. "Then, I'll leave you to your next appointment, Daddy," she spit with invisible, unnoticeable venom.

"I wish you the best of luck." It was impossible to tell the feelings behind it. Was his intent to kill Kaito, or to keep him alive?

_I'll prove it to you, Daddy. There is no way in hell I'll let you kill him. You'd have to get past me first._

Ai entered the Detective Agency tired and bleary-eyed, exhausted from the night's affairs. Not only had she been woken up at about midnight, she had gone through the stress of searching for the missing Kaito even after she had been chased off. Yawning, she entered the room she and Ran were supposed to be sharing, settling on the mats prepared on the ground.

She was about to fall asleep when she noticed a small, buzzing noise, like muffled voices. _Occhan must have left the TV on. It's not the first time he's done it; I'll go turn it off….._

Walking unsteadily down the staircases, she stood up onto her toes to reach the doorknob of the office, barely reaching it as she opened the door. _No wonder Ran is so responsible, having to look after a father who can't even remember to lock a door after closing time, _Ai thought, seeing the flashing light of the television from the corner of the room.

Approaching it, she was about to press the power button when the news reporter started talking about an arson. An arson that took place at a Miyazaki residence. Ai froze as the reporter continued.

"_We currently have no leads on the suspect responsible for this tragedy."_ She pointed to the ashes behind her, the pitiful remains of what must have been a once glorious mansion. _"The entire family died in this fire. Miyazaki Tatsuya, head of the Tokyo Police department, Miyazaki Midori, his wife, and their young fourth-grade son, Miyazaki Ryuu."_

_Ryuu-kun. Ryuu-kun, _she repeated his name, feeling the empty word silently fill her head, lips forming the inaudible sound. _No, it can't be! How could it have happened this quickly?_

She had thought the Black Organization might have made him a target, but to act so fast- not to mention taking care of him and Kaito simultaneously- was extremely frightening. Both fear and her loss made white-hot tears flow from her light blue eyes; the ice in them melting, running down her cheeks. _If they have Ryuu-kun, then I'm next. Then Ran, and Hattori, and Kazuha…_

She had to call Ran. Warn her of the danger. She ran over to Kogoro's desk and hopped onto the chair, grabbing the phone. She dialed the number that she had memorized in case of emergency, and then waited impatiently for the teenager to answer. _Come on, _she thought, heart racing. _Pick up the stupid phone, dammit!_

"Is this Ai-chan?" asked Ran, sounding frantic and worried.

"Yeah, it's me," she answered, voice getting faster. "I need to tell you something important. Ryuu-kun is dead. They just announced his death over the TV, but I think it's a rerun."

"You mean that little boy who was always following you around?" Ai could make out the sharp intake of breath, and the muted sounds of footsteps. "What happened?"

"There was an arson," cried Ai, sobs racking her body as she looked back at the TV, which had switched programs, and remembered the bare skeleton of wood. "He and his family are dead. I think- I think we'll be next." The last sentence was a mere whisper.

"What makes you think that, Ai-chan?" Ran could hear the terror in Ai's frightened tone, and knew she must be shaking in fear. At times, even the mention of the syndicate would paralyze the young-adult-turned-child. "Just because Ryuu-kun might be dead doesn't mean-"

"You don't know them!" she screamed, and then became silent, realizing that she might have woke up the sleeping Kogoro upstairs. When there was no sound from above, she continued quietly. "They have all the resources, all the connections, everything. They already know Haibara Ai because I was with Ryuu-kun in the cabin. They know who was around Kuroba-kun. _We're next."_

"Oy, Hakuba. I think they got away from here." Heiji motioned the blond over, pointing to a thin, golden strand of hair on the ground. He picked it up carefully, shining his flashlight on it. "Doesn't it look almost identical to the one we found earlier?"

"I personally do not have microscopes for eyes, Hattori-kun, but it's the same shade if that's what you mean," answered Hakuba, retaining his technical, sarcastic personality.

"You get my point! The person who kidnapped Kuroba had to have driven away from this parking lot! If we can get a witness on what type of car it was, we might be able to find more clues!" declared Heiji excitedly, happy to have gotten one step closer.

Morning had not completely set in yet. The sky was a dark gray, taking on a hue of pink. They had been searching continuously for evidence that would show who kidnapped Kaito, and perhaps a hint of their whereabouts or intentions. Both detectives found it extremely strange for the Organization to not have killed Kaito immediately.

While that would technically make the situation even worse than it was right now, it was more logical and by far the easiest way to get rid of the thief. As proven by the murder of Shinichi, they were definitely more than capable of killing and not getting caught. They probably did it every single day.

"Hattori-kun, who would look into an empty parking lot like this at one o'clock in the morning to see if there was a car here, let alone remember it? We've hit a dead-end. The only thing we can decipher from this is that the car turned right." He pointed to the tracks leading off of the poor dirt lot. "We're finished."

"No way, Hakuba. You can't give up this easily. There's gotta be something else here. There has to be." The moment he leaned down, the loud ringtone of a cell phone emanated from his pocket. The caller ID labeled the number as 'Kazuha' and he picked up the call. "Hey Kazuha! What's going on?"

"Shinichi says you might find more leads here. We think the Organization hit his house almost immediately after Kaito was taken. The first floor has been ransacked." Kazuha's frantic voice showed that was not the only problem, and Heiji could easily detect her hesitation.

"And what else?"

"We can't find Pandora."

Heiji knew that was part of it, but as a detective, he realized that there was news of maybe even more immediate importance. Kazuha paused, forcing herself to continue. "And they killed Ryuu-kun."

"That little ochibi?" exclaimed Heiji, watching Hakuba jump in surprise next to him. "What happened? He wasn't found dead on the streets, was he?"

"Hattori-kun, what the hell is going on?" whispered Hakuba, sounding irritated and worried. His blond hair glinted in the morning sunlight, though his eyes spoke of the night with their depressed, darkened look.

Blocking the mouth piece, Heiji answered, "You know that little boy, Miyazaki Ryuu? The one who was hanging outside the door while the little girl was talking? He's been killed by the Black Organization."

Hakuba's eyes widened in shock, and he was about to speak when Heiji cut him off. "If you want details, wait a second. I'm still trying to listen to Kazuha."

"It's terrible, Heiji!" she cried, sounding like she was bursting into tears. "Someone burned down their entire house, and Ai-chan said it was _them. _She also said- she also said-"

"What did she say?" asked Heiji, sounding impatient.

"She said we're next." The words were spoken almost silently, with a conviction and confidence that he hadn't heard for a while. The words were the truth.

He tried to laugh it off with a slight chuckle, however, it hardly lifted any of the weight. _Life is short… But I never imagined mine was hanging this close to the edge, _he thought. "Don't worry about it, just calm down and forget it." He sounded bright, but all his true feelings were hidden behind a mask, talking as if through a machine. "That little girl gets paranoid from time to time, you know? She's probably just over-thinking things."

"She knows them best, Heiji. You know she does."

Heiji sighed, looking up at the rising sun behind him. The same scarlet, crimson sun that he wasn't even sure the magician was alive to see. "Okay, I'll admit that much, but isn't it better to be optimistic than pessimistically? At least this way, we can expect the best and work through it instead of sitting and waiting for something terrible to happen, don't you think?"

"I guess so." Kazuha didn't seem certain in his logic, but she trusted, and she changed the topic. "Heiji, are you finished with your investigation yet?" inquired Kazuha, a certain longing in her voice that made him blush. After blinking off the strange feeling, he replied.

"Well, I don't think there's much else we can derive from the scene here," he said, slightly rushing the words. Hakuba stared at him questionably, his deep blue irises asking what was going on. "I guess we can go back."

"Then I'll see you in how long?"

"Um…" Heiji looked back at Hakuba. "Hey, Hakuba, how far do you think we are from the house?"

"Well, you managed to run over two miles over here with your nose to the ground looking for clues," answered Hakuba sarcastically, though the distance was far from over exaggerated. "If you're looking for a taxi, we'd have to walk a couple blocks to a main road and then it'd be about half an hour."

"Did I really run two miles?" joked Heiji, trying to ease the darkness he saw in the other boy's eyes. _Why is he always so downcast? _he wondered. _Even though he's the one who revealed Kuroba's identity, he shouldn't blame himself so much. He's putting all of the weight on himself…._

"In your hot-blooded search, yes. And we didn't discover much more than faint tire tracks and the fact that they were here. This is why I suggested we should have given up earlier." The words threatened to light Heiji's now short fuse, made even lessened than usual due to a lack of sleep.

"Kazuha, we'll be back in about half an hour or so. I guess I'll see you then. Ask Kudo if he can figure anything out. He's still a detective." He ended the call before Kazuha could reply, and started jogging down the street. "Come one, Hakuba. We need to get a cab."

"Hattori-kun, you have that hair, right? You didn't throw it away?" asked Hakuba, who was standing still. "My family has a lab. I can test the DNA on it."

"Yeah, I have it. Here, take it." Heiji carefully placed it in his palm, and then looked up with a much more serious expression. "But you can't let your family know about this. The more people who know, the more people will be in danger. Especially our parents, since they're with the police. Do you understand?"

"Yes I do. For your own awareness, I'll be going to my house instead of Kudo-kun's. I'll be able to tell you the results of the test before noon today. We'll know who captured Kuroba-kun."

"So, what do you think, Miyazaki-kun?" Jodie had the boy stand in front of a mirror, after having an F.B.I. agent disguise him. His hair had been combed back so it stuck to his head instead of flying all over the place and he had been given a pair of dark sunglasses to hide his conspicuous green eyes. "Can you recognize yourself?"

"Well, yeah," he answered, inspecting the image he saw reflected. His clothing was a little big, sagging downwards, and his pants had to be kept up by a belt, making the scene a little comical. If he wasn't so depressed, he probably would have laughed. "I've been _me_ for about ten years now, so I can tell that it's me in the mirror."

"As a person who's just met you, I doubt the Organization would suspect you looking like this. We've informed Daiki-kun's parents of his death, but we've convinced them not to leak it to the mass media. This way, unless the syndicate decides to search farther into it, you're safe for the time being." She winked, ruffling his hair, but not enough to make it messy again.

"Okay…" It was hardly hours after he had been informed of the damage done and on the outside and he seemed to have mostly recovered. But inside, his mind was still reeling. Nobody he knew had ever died, left him forever, never to come back. And now, all of a sudden, three precious people had been taken away. "Why do I have to be disguised like this again? I thought I was staying here for the next couple of days."

"Someone suggested you go to school, but that's too dangerous. I thought that, after all, you are still a kid, and you don't deserve to be trapped in here all the time. I'm going to take you out to the mall and you can buy a couple of things. Unfortunately, we couldn't find anything in the ashes."

"How many people know I'm in here?" he asked, sounding innocent and desperate. _Does Ai-kun know? She was warning me to be careful, but, even though I told nobody, this still happened…_

"Only members of the F.B.I. like me and that dark-capped man who helped disguise you. His name is Akai Shuuichi. He's probably the one person who'll be able to take down that syndicate." Grabbing his hand, she started leading him to an elevator after exiting the room they were in.

"Can _I _tell anyone about this?" He looked down at the ground, knowing the obvious answer was most likely no. It was just one more thing that he was forbidden to do.

"Well, I'm in charge of you, and I guess it'd just depend on whom. But I don't want you telling any of the friends your age, because they'd probably tell their parents, and that would make keeping Daiki-kun's death a secret pointless, and put you back in danger." She pressed the button for the elevator, and it opened gracefully without a sound, revealing its plain interior.

"Can I tell Ai-kun? The only people she would tell are Ran-neechan, and the others, maybe Kaito-niichan. They wouldn't tell _anyone_." He shook his head in emphasis. "I might even be able to live with them in Shinichi-niichan's house! They were already hiding Kaito-niichan there before!"

"Did they tell you all this?" Jodie found it hard to believe that such teenagers would give away all of that information to a ten year old, no matter how special he seemed to be. It just wasn't safe to hand off secrets to children.

"No, I overheard them telling Saguru-niichan about it. Then Ai-kun found me outside the door and told me not to tell anyone about it, but I thought it'd be okay to tell you since you saved me." His words were rushed, like he was begging, and Jodie couldn't help but sympathize with the boy.

"_Mommy and Daddy are dead?" cried the little girl, clinging onto the tall man's legs. "Why? Why was there a fire?"_

"_We don't know, Jodie. But we want to offer you protection from the people who did this. Do you mind meeting some nice people from the Witness Protection Program? If you say yes, we'll be able to give you a new identity, a new address, and you'll be like a different person. However, you'll be taken away from this old life. You won't be able to tell your friends, though, that shouldn't be too big of a problem. You're not in school yet, right?"_

"_No," she answered hesitantly, staring at her late father's friend with large turquoise eyes. "What do _you_ think I should do?"_

"_Say yes. This way, you'll be safe."_

She hadn't been old enough to feel the loss of friendships back then, and this boy would lose everything he had if he was not allowed to reveal the truth to _someone. _She thought she saw tears forming behind his dark glasses, and frowned. Why did that damn Organization exist?

It had obviously been them. The scene had their name written all over it. Not to mention the tip-off she had received from Shuu about the Miyazaki boy running towards the burning house. She was happy she got there in time and took him away to make sure he wasn't killed or captured snared her attention. This boy had already interfered with the syndicate once, taking apart two bombs meant to kill over twenty children. He had seen an Organization member, and he was liable to tell his parents. There was no way he hadn't been made a target.

Upon exiting the building, Ryuu noted that it was an apartment, a small one. "Does that building completely belong to you guys?"

"Yeah. We've converted it so it looks more like an office inside though. We also transformed the gym into a training facility and etcetera. It's pretty useful." She stared at it wistfully. It was the one place that was technically kept 'secret' from the Organization, since it was well-established before they bought rights to it from someone out of the country. They knew most of the addresses of the F.B.I. agents in Japan, so it had been necessary to move them to a secure location.

"I see. Jodie-san. I'm kind of hungry," complained Ryuu, feeling his stomach grumble. He had refused breakfast that morning and was now feeling the effects. She smiled- no wonder those teens had revealed everything to him, intentionally or not. He was very easy to talk to.

"Do you want to eat ramen?" asked Jodie, pointing over to a nearby ramen shop. "I can take you there."

"Okay." He paused, and then looked up again. "But can I tell Ai-kun? I bet she's worried, and she seemed so afraid that somebody was going to die when I left that day. I don't want her to be scared."

It was almost impossible to read his expression under the too large shades, but Jodie knew that he had a right to tell the girl. However, her instincts screamed in protest. _That girl was a part of _them!_ They're dangerous, and you shouldn't let him take the risk of getting hurt! You can't trust her! Who knows which side she's really on! _

"You'll have to let me think about it, Miyazaki-kun. I don't want anything bad to happen, okay?" _You're so much like me, Miyazaki-kun, _she thought. _We're both alone in this world, no parents, and nobody to tell our secrets to. At least I have somebody to depend on now, but you still don't have anyone. _

"You don't have to treat me like I'm absolutely helpless you know." His straight-to-the-point directness surprised Jodie as she looked downwards. "I might only be ten, but I understand a lot more than you think. I can decide who I can trust and who I can't. If Ai-kun was really a bad guy, she wouldn't have let me live. She wouldn't have helped Ran-neechan and Heiji-niichan and Shinichi-niichan! It'd just be a waste of her time!"

"You have a point there, but-"

"I trust her! If it's my life at stake, I think I can decide who I trust! Don't you think?" He pulled off his glasses, showing her the full effect of his stunningly powerful green eyes. It seemed almost as if they were on fire, the verdant emerald burning as he protested, attracting the attention of passers-by.

"Please calm down, Ryuu-kun," she whispered, using his first name to make it seem as if they were more familiar, trying to deflect the stares of the crowd that was gathering. "We can talk about this later. Now how about that ramen?"

He nodded solemnly, though Jodie could easily tell their little fight was far from over. The boy was much more outspoken then she had thought, braver and bolder than she would have believed. _I wonder who will be the victor here….._ she thought. _Hopefully, whoever wins made the right choice…._

_*_Hmm... Not much of a cliffhanger there, but I guess that'll have to do. Check out Detective Conan World, and maybe even my new HeiShin fic. (just don't kill it please) Please review!*~Aeyra (the math freak)


	48. Chapter 47

*Yes, everybody has the right to throw tomatoes at me for being so darn slow. *instantly starts ducking and gets splattered with red stuff* Well, I had reasons. (lame reasons, but reasons) I was reasonably busy with school, and I had, um, pairing troubles. Basically, I now hate Aoko and Kazuha's guts and believe in HeiShin and HakuKai. I am keeping that completely out of the story though. I was just taking my time to make sure that didn't happen. (because now, I've got quite a few yaoi fanfics in my head) I've also started some new stories that I was interested in. And i got into drawing. *sigh* And DCW, (detective conan world), the greatest DC forum ever. Anyways, I hope you enjoy! I'll also now respond to reviews here because I've lost track of who I've replied to and who I haven't.*

**someonepassingby: Well, I hurried as much as I could after realizing people still read this thing. ;) Thanks for the encouragement!**

**Dannichigo: I'm glad it was entertaining. Hopefully you'll like this chapter too!**

**WildAwesomeGirl: Thanks so much for the advice! I really appreciate it! Kaito isn't so weak in this chapter! (but Shinichi didn't get an appearance mainly because Ran didn't either.) I'm happy you like it!**

**Sayomi: I'm too lazy to type your username LMAO. I'm glad you read it up to here! 47 chapters is quite a lot! It's been about two months, but I hope you can still remember what happened in Chapter 46! (because to be completely honest with you, I have no idea what I wrote.) **

Chapter 47

Kaito's POV

It's quiet- if there were a butterfly you would be able to hear it flap its delicate, colorful wings as it flies through this empty space. The atmosphere is tense, kind of unnerving. I'm covered in sweat, a result of pressure and adrenaline intertwined together. It's a powerful combination. If there was a butterfly… I'd blow its wings off.

With one swift, fluid motion, I shoot the pistol in my right hand, smirk in pure satisfaction as the bullet- an unstoppable missile- flies towards the red and white target placed 30 yards away. Another bull's-eye.

This feels so easy- I am almost one with this weapon. This gun that makes me giddy with excitement as I savor the surge of energy that runs through my veins, destroying all traces of fear and dependence.

I'm no longer that clueless, helpless, lost teenager that clung hopelessly to the identity of Kuroba Kaito, a weak child who had to listen to everybody around him to understand what was going on and what he was supposed to do.

Someone who was trapped in one room for weeks, no sunlight, no birdsong- only dark chatter and attempts to uncover a lost memory. A boy trying so hard, yet so awkwardly, to please everyone- so scared when Aoko burst on him. As obedient as a dog, unquestioning. Wishing to escape. I didn't want to be him.

The only one with the slightest idea of what I felt was that little girl- that little girl who used to work for this Organization. But here… V can sympathize as well. Despite initial reluctance, she's given me a brief summary of her own harsh past, it too littered with shadows and neglect for what was truly necessary.

V (she lets me call her that. I personally like the nickname) has given me a new identity, one with a much stronger, much more familiar base. One like her own- filled with the air of confidence and omnipotent power. I'm experiencing a whole new, so much enjoyable emotion of being invincible, instead of completely vulnerable.

A feeling that nothing can beat me. I love the overwhelming confidence. I'm Bordeaux- Kaito-kun to her- no last name that binds me to the weeks before, the faked past. She hasn't been struggling to rebuild me, force and plead for me to recall a blur of visions- she created a whole new persona for me, never lingering on history. Something I can depend on- the present- clear and untainted, instead of a blurry, foggy past.

The kiss with Aoko… That was nothing- a mere moment of confusion and lack of knowledge. All of those flashbacks – worthless. Half of it was their rendition of events, not my own memory. This- the present, the surge of energy- is everything.

Ever since I left that dark, shadowed room- the lair of that man, the boss, that mysterious, ominous voice that so obviously thirsted for my blood under the layers of sugar and honey- I've reconstructed mysel with V's help.

My fears have dwindled as fast as the bullets left in the cartridge. Four hours of shooting practice, maybe more. I've lost count. There's no clock here. I've got plenty of time. Plenty of time to prepare for the real thing, whatever that may be.

It's like a huge gymnasium here. It's extremely spacious, with ten ranges and small offices where you can pinpoint where your bullet landed, the velocity, and adjust the settings. V is sitting in the booth, .

"Kaito-kun," she calls, a small microphone attached to my ear so that I can talk to her even though this room is soundproof. "I'm turning on the motion capabilities of your targets. Your goal is to shoot for the head or other vitals."

"Roger that," I reply, reloading my pistol with the cartridges that are readily supplied on the ground. This organization seems to be quite well-funded.

I wonder exactly what their goal is. V hasn't told me yet. Aoko and the others explained that this syndicate was downright evil- they had supposedly killed my father and murdered that boy in the delusional girl's head. I think his name was Kudo Shinichi or something like that. I'm past the point of bothering to remember. I want to trust V.

I don't recall any of the memories they insisted I'd regain. Still to this day, the only things clear as crystal are blood, pain, and gunshots. V's told me it was from a shoot out; I was severely injured and those people got to me first. I lost my memory in the hospital, which meant they could delude me into joining them with crack stories.

"Kaito-kun!" says V, voice edged with the air of a commander. "Pay attention!" She sounds so worried about me.

The target transforms into a human silhouette, swerving from side to side, the advanced computer projections making it seem like it moves closer and then farther, fleeing from death. I'm the god (or is it devil?) that will deliver the end.

Closing one eye- my left- I carefully adjust the angle, ensuring that the shot will hit, calculating changes as the target shifts around. V was right- my body can remember shooting a gun. It can remember the miraculous feeling of pulling a trigger- it just can't remember hurting someone intentionally, ironically enough, I can't even remember wounding them. I find that fishy. Aren't I a cold-blooded murderer?

I mean, even if this is the side of justice, I've killed before, right? Then why do I feel so queasy at the thought of murder, of someone else's blood on my hands, of my bullets meant for targets piercing flesh? It should be second-nature to me. I'm sure the familiarity will come back to me. I need it to come back. Otherwise how can I please V?

She seems to have high hopes for me despite my original bungling, telling me my skills are top-notch, having been developed as a world-famous thief. A moonlight magician, adept in tricks that blew the mind, riddles that could drive the police crazy trying to solve them. A cunning conniver who could get himself in and out of any trap using whatever tools he had on hand.

One thing confirmed by both parties (V and Aoko) is that I had an alter ego Kaitou Kid, phantom thief. Famous for thwarting the police and deluding everyone with magic. The purposes are blurry though, as are the details.

Aoko said it was to find a jewel called Pandora to avenge my father- V said it was to locate the same gem so the Organization could possess it and gain more power. And, in all truth, I trust V more. Some sixth sense still nags at me and tells me she's the liar, but why should I believe it?

Aoko caged me, V set me free. Aoko told me the 'entire' story, free to weave in as many lies as she wished. V gives me only an outline, allowing me to figure out the rest by myself with only gentle pushes, nudges. A story I'm allowed to fill in myself, not stolen by others and written by them.

My bullet lands on the swerving shadow, making it vanish. I wonder if I've hit it right. V seems to think my skills will have to be nearly perfect to please the boss. The only fear left is the fear that I can't do it. That when the deciding moment comes, I'll fail, and the knife on my neck will slice clean through.

He wants me to die. Just those leering chuckles, that silky tone, was enough to tell me. The way he teased V, the irking way he paused whenever a word about me was said. If I mess up, he'll get his wish. Why he wants me to die is an entirely different matter though.

"Kaito-kun! That was absolutely perfect!" exclaims V through the headset excitedly. "How about a break? It's just about dinnertime. Aren't you hungry?"

"Sure," I reply, walking out of the shooting range into the small office with V. She hands me a small white towel which I promptly use to wipe my face free of sweat. Dirt comes off with it. "I think a shower would also be nice." She laughs, and I smile back. It's so easy to talk to her. I feel like I'm home.

"We'll go to my quarters then. It's in this main building. I'm one of the only people with that privilege. I'll get someone to run out and get us something to eat. How does Italian sound? I know a place near here that I always get food from. It's truly amazing!" She grins, showing her miniature fangs. I'd been surprised at first, but she explained their length as a 'genetic specialty', promising to explain more later.

"By the way, what did you do with that jewel? You know, Pandora?" I ask curiously, looking her up and down to find an indication of the gem's hiding place.

"It's here." She pulls the crimson diamond out of the large front pocket of her white and pink hoodie, holding it with her thumb and pointer finger. She flicks it into the air, winking as she catches it. "I'd like to keep it a secret for a little while though, 'kay?"

"Why?" I stare dubiously at it, taking it from her palm and inspecting the clear, pristine surface. "I thought it was your job to turn this in!" She gives a chuckle, red eyes glowing.

"They don't need to know. Besides, they'd be disappointed that those 'friends' of yours aren't dead. I didn't think you wanted to kill them." She's serious, and her face darkens, watching me shiver. I might dislike them now but- kill?

"Is that- is that really necessary? All you have to say is that you ransacked the house!" I protest, unwilling to believe the hinted suggestion in the tones of her voice, hidden in the background. "Why would you have to kill them for just going home?"

"Because they know we exist. I've watched them. They know more about us than they should. Here, that's enough to earn any outsider a death sentence. Usually I'd deliver it without any hesitation but," she pauses, judging my reaction as she tells me she'll murder without a second thought, seemingly expecting anger. I think I'm okay with it though. It's her job. Her duty. "You seemed so close to them- and I don't want to hurt you."

She blushes as she looks away from me, and- are those tears I see forming at the edges of her eyes?

She looks like a delicate flower, a rose, so different from what she was moments ago. This side I feel sure she doesn't show to anybody else. Is it weird that I feel grateful that she's willing to show it to me?

"I'm not sure how I'd react if you killed them," I start, gently wiping away her tears, smiling warmly, "but it's our job as members of this Organization here, isn't it? That's what you've told me. And duty is duty. Even if it hurts, we just have to grin and bear it."

Her expression is apologetic, almost regretful, and I have no idea why. She opens her mouth to speak, but then closes it, clenching her fists. Instinctively, I pull her closer, much to her surprise.

"K-Kaito-kun?" she stammers, not fighting, but she sounds kind of like she wants to.

"Don't be afraid to say anything. We're partners in this, through and through. You've helped me, so I'll help you." She presses her head into my chest, letting the moisture spill there, leaking through my shirt, dying the black even darker than before.

"Kaito-kun." She mumbles something else, but I can't hear it, and I won't force her to tell me.

She stays still for a few more moments, and I can feel her strange heartbeat, so much faster than mine.

Suddenly, she jerks back, as if finally realizing that I have been holding her, nervously avoiding my gaze. I chuckle, then pull her towards the exit. "You did say we're getting dinner, didn't you? How about we go out instead? No need to trouble someone else."

"But- Kaito-kun," she protests, face nearly as red as her eyes. "What if someone sees us?"

"What can they do about it? I'm where I belong. They can't change that." Once again, that same look of guilt flashes from her rosy irises, as enigmatic when I first saw it.  
"I-I guess you're right. Not much anyone can do about it now." Almost unwillingly, she follows me, and we leave the building for our night out.

Saguru's POV

Walking away from Hattori, I don't look back, hiding the despair and shock slipping through my poor excuse for a Poker Face. Not only am I the reason Kuroba was shot and basically mentally traumatized to the point where he forgot everything, now I am responsible for his kidnapping. Why do things keep getting worse? It's as if the gods themselves want to punish us.

I clutch the small plastic bag in my hands, satisfied that if this DNA matches any Japanese citizen with their data entered in the computers (and there is a whole lot of entries), or it'll at least give us a hint. On the other hand, what if this kidnapper doesn't 'officially' exist? Out of curiosity, I had checked for Miyano Shiho after discovering she had been born and raised in the syndicate. She wasn't in the archives. Her sister, Akemi, however was. But Akemi wasn't as special. I think they'd only trust a 'special' member to kidnap someone from a reasonably guarded hospital.

I decide to walk home, knowing I won't be able to use the laboratory without suspicion falling onto me until much later, therefore giving me time to spare to sort this all out. School just doesn't seem very important anymore. I don't have the will to even bother attending classes now that Kuroba's gone. It would just bore me and bring up memories that now sting- Kuroba's pranks, his jokes, his mini in-class magic shows. Memories he doesn't possess anymore.

This is the only real way I can help fix things. I have the power to track down the kidnapper. That in itself gives me a drive I haven't felt since Kid's last real heist.

It's nice having something that you really want to live for, even if it's something that is hopefully short-term. Bringing back Kuroba is what I want to do. Then I'll try and find some way to get him reaccepted into society without having to forge him a new identity. That might turn out to be even more difficult, but it's preferable to what I'm doing now.

I smirk a little when I remember my companions, knowing that I should be comforted to know they'll help me. But somehow, I don't want their help- it's my fault, and I'm going to sort it out. I had barely noticed when Hattori took a side road, motioning for me to follow. I shook my head, and walked off, leaving him, not caring about what he was doing.

I reach my house about an hour later, having navigated more quickly through the city streets than I thought I could. My parents (thankfully) aren't home, and neither is baaya, leaving me the house completely to myself.

Entering my room, impeccably clean due to the combined efforts of my personality and the maids, I take out a microscope, a high-powered one that I acquired for personal research. For now, at least, this is the only thing I can do to satisfy the ache to charge into the lab and start solving this newest mystery. I carefully press one strand between two paper thin slides of completely clear glass, placing it in the light.

The image starts out blurry until I focus in on it, noticing something strange about it. This sample is quite, quite fine for human hair. It looks more like strangely colored, five-inches-too-long, cat hair to me. What could this be?

I step away from my desk and collapse onto the bed, knowing it'll be a long day. While I really feel like resting, my current mindset is much too tense for something so peaceful. I grab a sci-fi book out of the multitude of mysteries, somehow sensing that this might be quite the abnormal specimen. I can't wait to investigate.

The hours pass by with me alternating my gaze between the seconds slowly ticking away on the clock, and the words of the book, hardly paying attention to either. Eventually, the story sucks me in, and ironically, I read about a kidnapping taking place in a strange world with not-human criminals as the culprits. What a strange book.

I don't enter the lab until late at night, the ominous feeling that my tests might show results never seen before sending ice down through my veins. All of the scientists have gone home for the day, and baaya thinks I'm in bed, unaware that I had snuck out my window to this facility. Can you believe a rope of sheets actually works? I knew it probably wasn't the greatest idea to jump from three stories up, so I braided my blankets into a ten foot rope. At least it lessened the distance a little. Otherwise my ass would be hurting even more than it already is.

I pull something out of my pocket, unable to see it in the darkness of the building. Eerie silence fills my ears, interrupted only by my footsteps, the echoes giving off the frightening feeling that someone is close behind me.

The plastic bag containing the samples of light, pale, blonde hair sits in my palm, just waiting to be opened. I flick a switch, and the darkness instantly gives way to light. It stings for a moment, green spots handicapping my vision, but soon enough, I've adjusted to it, seeking out the machine of my desire.

It's almost funny that just a few days before exposing Kuroba's secret to the whole damn universe, I had been taught how to analyze this DNA scanner, having needed it to identify a criminal in a case, in other words, comparing Kuroba's hair to the Kid's. But I knew he could worm his way out of that one, so I kept quiet. Now, it's a attempt to save him, bring him back where he belongs.

I turn on the computer-like device, the soft whirring of the machine a gentle humming, calm and soothing to my strung-out nerves. Once it warms up, I take a glove and place a single strand, noticing the strange strawberry color of the last inch and a half of it, almost unnoticeable due to the size of the hair. With a beep, the machine takes it in, once again humming it's happy tune.

I wait anxiously for results to show on the screen located on the side, green flashing for a moment before a startling beep! signals the arrival of my answers. Or not-answers it looks like.

I pretty much have photographic memory, so I know a lot of key points in the human genome, sequences shared between all of us. This- this is showing things I've never seen, replacing human DNA for what might be animal, like a character from some freaky sci-fi manga.

I have the long string of letters printed out, carefully keeping the paper from bring damaged. Slowly, warily, I go onto another computer, hesitatingly typing in lines of unfamiliar DNA, struggling to keep from losing my cool as I deciphered individual species.

Here was snake, either black mamba or some form of cobra, located where teeth should be, replacing it with the code for fangs and poison. I'm up until morning typing, fingers cramped and sore, still investigating the strands of DNA, nearly unconscious when a scientist taps me on the shoulder.

"Saguru-kun, are you okay? What are you doing here?" he asks, shoving his glasses up to the bridge of his nose. "Don't you have school today?"

"Something-case- got in m'way," I mumbled, exhaustion fogging my words. "I-I'll leav' now."

"Do you need help? You seem ready to just collapse." His smile is friendly, but I refuse the offer, explaining that I will get a taxi.

I will get a taxi- to Kudo's house that is. Home is simply not the place too be, and what this shows would sound way more than just ridiculous over a phone.  
_  
__"I just found out the person who kidnapped Kuroba isn't human and is poisonous and- yeah."_Nope, it sounds perfectly believable.

I walk ten minutes to a more traveled street, wanting to collapse onto the sidewalk every single grueling second of the way. The bench I passed was very, very tempting to fall onto, but my foggy mind managed to say "no". I'll just sleep during the fifteen minute ride in the taxi... The others better not have gone to school on me...

I lazily wave my hand to hail a cab, stifling a huge yawn as I tell the driver the address. The seats are so squishy to me in my half-dead-from-pure-exhaustion state. It's been over twenty four hours since I last slept, and I just... can't... keep my eyes... open...

"Sir, sir!" calls an unfamiliar voice, trying futilely to wake me out of slumber. "Sir, we're here! Beika, Niteime, 21st Banchi!"

I have the almost irrepressible urge to shout, "Shut the hell up you son-of-a-bitch! Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?" but manage to refrain from saying it, instead bitching silently under my breath.

I'm tempted to just about throw the fare at him, instead dropping it on the seat, leaving him to scrabble with all the paper money as I clamber out of the car, trudging up the walkway to the house. My feet feel like lead as I walk, my eyelids heavier than that if it's possible. I need to sleep once I show them.

Punching the doorbell, I almost think they aren't home until Hattori answers the door about twenty seconds later, toothbrush in his mouth (which is covered in white, minty foam by the way), looking somewhat grouchy. He lets me in with a 'mmph' as he tries to talk through the implement in between his teeth.

He pulls it out and sits on the living room sofa, inviting me to sit with him, kindly noting the exhaustion in my half-open eyes. "It's only seven in the morning you know. What did you find? You wouldn't come all the way over here for nothing, would've you?"

"You might find 'dis hard to believ-" I say, words slurring together, drooping forward as I pull out the thick packet of papers holding only the vital evidence- still over 50 pages of DNA sequencing. "But the person who kidnapped Ku-Kuroba isn't exactly... completely... human..."

"Whaddaya mean?" asks Hattori, eyes flashing in a mix of awe, fear, and curiosity. "How can somebody be somethin' not human?"

"Take a look." I slide the sheets forward, seeing his eyebrows furrow in confusion. "These parts are different from our DNA. This section should be uniform in all of us." Pointing to a line of letters, I quickly explain. "This is the DNA of a snake- a poisonous one to be in fact. There's also cheetah DNA, other cats, more reptiles, some mammals… there are so many animals mixed in here."

"Do ya think that Organization made this- this- hybrid?" He inquires, struggling to comprehend it. It's a hard thing to wrap your mind around.

I nod, confirming his suspicions. "There is no way this could just be a strange, one-in-a-trillion accident. This had to be planned, carefully handled each inch of the way. They probably have the money and resources to create such a being- a being that is functional at its physical peak and maybe even intellectual."

"T-that's- that's just not right." His face is blanched with disbelief, emerald eyes frozen open. "They're just playing around with life like they're gods or something! What kind of advantages would this create?"

"The snake DNA I told you about earlier- that's a sequence for venom and fangs. The cheetah and some other animals were for speed, stamina, and power. There's rhino in here- it makes the skin tough. Regular bullets won't be very effective."

"So first we got ourselves trapped in some fantasy murder drama, and now we're stuck in some mutant sci-fi story. It just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?" he comments sarcastically, laughing a little bit. "Um... Hakuba? Do you want to take a nap or something? I can tell Kazuha and the others. You look just about dead."

"You know what? That sounds fantastic. Do you have an empty room here? It would seem quite awkward for me to be sleeping on the sofa once everybody comes down." I'm getting pretty damn to passing out on these cushions even if I don't want to.

"Sure. There's a couple of 'em- just don't take the master bedroom or the one directly left of that. And don't accidentally enter one of the girl's rooms. That would be even more awkward."

I imagine the scene in my head, along with the three different fighting styles I'd be punished with.  
_  
__Speaking of punishment... Now that I think about it, that's really weird that none have come to get us from the syndicate. While it's not like I want that outcome, it's strange that something hasn't happened yet. Why would they go on like this...? We're obviously a liability…_

"Yo, Hattori!" I call, getting his attention. "Why do you think the Organization hasn't killed us yet?"

He looks at me confused, before realizing the truth of my words. If they could find this house, there is no way they aren't aware of its residents and their connection to Kuroba. Are they possibly playing with us? And if so, why?

*Yeah, lamest ending ever. But when you write the entire chapter on your iTouch over a period of two weeks all after ten o'clock, it's going to have a couple of bugs. I seem to have more inspiration at night though... (and i can't draw properly on an iTouch, so that takes away a huge distraction.) Please review though! And check out my deviantART: iluvshadowclaw. deviantart. com! Sign up for detective conan world as well! A bunch of authors are there! We have Chelseaj500 (Akakata), tonsostuff (I call her Pyre, but she goes by IdentityUnknown), AuraFlower178 (Sayomi! Our beloved Juliet!), HaibaraDaiFan, and a couple of others who I can't name off the top of my head! Check it out! (and review I guess, though that sounds so repetitive...)*


	49. Chapter 49

*******IMPORTANT NOTICE: I HAVE MOVED TO A NEW ACCOUNT AND WILL BE REWRITING THIS STORY AS A WHOLE. THE ACCOUNT NAME IS AURELIANM, AND THE NAME OF THE STORY IS NOW THE MURDER OF KUDO SHINICHI. ANYONE STILL INTERESTED IN READING THE STORY SHOULD READ IT THERE INSTEAD. (this is not a new chapter- just reposting to give you all a heads-up.)*******

Chapter 48

Ryuu picked moodily at his bowl of steaming ramen, more interested in twirling the strands of noodles around his chopsticks than eating them. He was still angry about Jodie's _'I'll think about it,'_ which was obviously a nicer way to say 'no.' What was wrong with telling one of his friends that he was alive? His existence was basically erased from the earth, and he was only living in the eyes of the FBI. He'd like to be alive in someone's thoughts- someone who would care instead of just protect him. There was a difference between the two, even if from a distance they seemed to be a same thing.

Protecting is an obligation, a necessary act usually done for one's personal benefit, and in his case, done only to protect a witness; a child one at that, helpless, pitiful, weak. He stabbed hard at a slice of hard-boiled egg. He might have lost his parents, he might have cried, he might be young, but he still had a right to decide what he wanted to do. He knew protection was necessary and did appreciate it behind the anger, but it was still infuriating. This type of protection was as good as prison.

Caring was an act of love, like a parent's want to keep their child out of danger, done because they really cared. That was what he wanted, to _matter_ to that someone, not just as a material item of some sort, but as something that was part of their life. Caring was friendship, concern, _trusting_ the other person. That was the difference. Love and trust. Two elements that separated one from the other. It made him grumpy to know that they didn't trust his judgment, but what could he do about it?

_Because I'm just a ten year old kid who knows nothing…._ he seethed inwardly, taking a bite of his ruined hard-boiled egg, half of the yolk lying broken in the soup. _Because I'm a useless kid…_

Jodie sighed as she watched the boy vent his anger on his food. If the case had been less serious, it might have been funny, but in circumstances like his, nothing was funny. She remembered when she finally became old enough to realize exactly how her life was going to play out. It was like being a prisoner, locked away from the world, shielded from everything except her own revolting feelings. However, she didn't have his same problems- she had known the people protecting her in the past, she knew them well, and she never really got to the age where she would have made serious friendships- more like playmates. He had a reason to fight, and she hadn't.

Her head was filled with conflicting thoughts, torn between sympathy and pity, between giving him lenience or denying him what he so dearly desired- a choice. Orders from above had just about forbidden it. He was to be protected, and even this little outside excursion was pushing it. How could they risk exposure of his condition? What purpose would it serve other than to please the boy, appease his anger?

It would make her feel better- it would be humane- it would give him what he deserved. They were selfish reasons, only sweet in the short-term, but had quite the potential to become bitter later. She might as well be letting him sign his death warrant. But… something about him was just so vibrant, so filled with energy that she thought this sentence was crueler than death. It was catching a wild animal to keep it from being shot, but not allowing it to run, to breathe fresh air, to enjoy life like it was supposed to.

Right, wrong, all trivial matters when ,perhaps, something much bigger was at stake. Like, the state of the world perhaps? The Organization had power, that could not be denied, and they were branching further and further around the world, gaining allies in all different fields across the globe. If not stopped, they would have the whole of the planet right in their hands, any opposition crushed in the blink of an eye. It wasn't a fairy tale, one of those stories where a hero appears and leads a brave, loyal army against the evil enemy, miraculously saving the world. Once it started…. The chances it would ever end were minimal- at least, not in their favor.

But then again, what damage could one kid do? Just one life, just one more loss- tiny compared to the others the FBI had suffered in the past. He could become a powerful asset once grown up, but with this kind of treatment, the chances he would agree were slim. His anger festered on obvious revenge for his parents' deaths, but it was also rapidly growing towards the FBI for barring him from one of the last things that mattered to him. At this rate, he'd become nothing but unnecessary baggage.

_Perhaps…_ thought Jodie, starting to think about ways to let the boy do what he wanted without getting herself in serious trouble. She smiled. All she needed was a team mate. She was sure that after an explanation, Shuu would be willing to do exactly what she needed. _This is going to work…_

"Kaito-kun!" called Viura, a wide smile on her face as she was pulled along by the headstrong boy. "Wrong direction! Right, not left!"

"My bad!" He gave her a mischievous grin as he swerved 180 degrees, swinging her around, lifting her feet off the ground for a second. With hardly a second's pause, he started racing forward again, dragging her behind him.

Viura was quite surprised to find herself liking this- liking the sensation of butterflies in her stomach, the warmth that spread through her cheeks as they ran, the way his smile was infectious, making her fill with joy. She liked the snow falling from the clouds, gathering on her fur and leather jacket, gathering on Kaito's mahogany hair in little, oddly placed, patches of white.

Dinner had been amazing. The last time Viura had entered the high-class restaurant was ages ago with Cognac and Vermouth, and hardly a thing had changed about the place through the years. The warm, welcoming interior that she could only describe as 'golden', the diamond chandeliers, the velvet cushions on the elegantly carved chairs. It had all looked the same- except with Kaito's presence, it had been so much different.

It had been like everything was sparkling, ten times brighter than she remembered. His laughter seemed to make the crystal glow like stars around them, leaving behind the rest of the restaurant as they seemingly climbed into the heavens. She forgot about nearly everything else, attention completely focused on the boy in front of her, the way he made everything look more beautiful. Breathtaking, awe-inspiring.

It was a night of firsts- Kaito officially counted as Viura's first and only friend, and their strange bond had only increased over the evening. It was the first time Viura laughed so freely, the first time she'd blushed when someone talked to her. She didn't know how to describe it, and even with her extensive vocabulary, she thought it'd be impossible to pick out the right words, find the way to define this feeling of perfection, of ease.

"Hey, V, look!" exclaimed Kaito excitedly, pausing in his tracks to point at something. "Can we go and play in the park? We could play in the snow!"

"Play in the snow?" repeated Viura dubiously. The closest she'd ever gotten to frolicking in the snow was flicking the stuff out of her hair. Kaito's eagerness made her wonder what he was like before his memory loss- maybe this was a glimpse of the person he was before. The thought made her cringe. If he was starting to regain his personality, what if he regained his memory? Then- then she'd be pushed away. She didn't want that.

_Why?_ It was a good question. It had been so long since she'd cared- actually cared about another person. In fact… _Have I ever cared?_ She avoided the answer involving Vermouth, neatly skirting around it, and realized, _Not really. I mean, I did admire Tequila and feel bad when I killed him, but I didn't really care for him…_ _But Kaito-kun… I think I do care._

"Yeah, you know, make snowballs and throw them at each other?" Kaito's voice called her out of her musings, and a cold, wet ball of slush hit her in the face. "Kind of like that."

Viura brushed the icy fluff off of her face, staring at Kaito with a bemused, curious expression. Then she smirked, and shaped her own snowball from the snow on the side of the sidewalk, hurling it at Kaito, who skillfully dodged. "Stay still!"

"Not happening. Oh, and V, how about we walk into the park before we wage total war? You nearly hit that kid." Kaito tilted his neck towards a young teenager who was passing by, an annoyed expression on his face.

"Sorry," muttered Viura, embarrassed. _Wait… Did I just apologize for nearly hitting someone with a _snowball_? _How strange, how out of character, how _kind_.

"First person to get into the park gets to dump a pile of snow on the other person's head!" yelled Kaito, sprinting headlong for the park entrance, leaving Viura standing surprised for a second before she started running right after him.

"Too bad you're not as fast as me!" she jeered, passing him easily with her long, quick strides, much like a graceful gazelle or horse.

"I take that back!" he cried, passing under the gate moments after Viura, face flushed. "_Loser_ gets to hit winner with a snowball!"

"As if!"

Kaito's face was suddenly covered with a small blanket of white. He spat out the snow that had landed in his mouth, and shook his head, resembling a wet dog drying itself.

A battle of snowball fighting ensued, filled with bright, cheerful laughter, friendly jeering and teasing, and acquiring both of them a huge desire from a warm cup of hot chocolate. Kaito's arm was wrapped tight around Viura's shoulder as they both shook from laughter, feeling comfortable despite the freezing weather. "We should do this more often," chuckled Kaito, cheeks red from the cold.

"As soon as we get time, I promise." _We._ Together. _It's such a nice feeling_, thought Viura, feeling eagerness already. _To have somebody who makes everything fun… A friend._

"I really like this, V. It's a lot better than that hospital, I feel… alive. I guess that would be the only way to describe it. I don't feel afraid, I don't feel helpless. I feel like I'm on the top of the world, and you're standing there with me. I'm glad you rescued me, V. I really am," said Kaito, staring up at the stars as he spoke, the lights sharp and defined in the winter sky.

Once again, Viura plummeted into guilt, and yet at the same time, she felt extreme joy. Kaito was happy to be with her, Kaito liked the night, just like she had, and he was glad she had taken him away. So wrong in essence… But it seemed so right. She never wanted him to find out what she'd done… Stolen him from where he belonged and forced him here. But he was happy, wasn't he? Wasn't that what mattered?

_I want you_, thought Viura, a warm feeling spreading through her chest as she stared at Kaito. She struggled to put a name to it, and finally realized what emotion it was- an emotion she'd only heard stories about, an emotion she never thought she'd ever feel._Kaito-kun…. I think I'm in love with you._

"Okay Shuu, got it," said Jodie into her cell phone, ending the cal., She escorted Ryuu back into his room, the ten year old boy still sulking as he walked reluctantly into the darkness, climbing into the bed with a grouchy 'hmph'. "Ryuu-kun, I know it's difficult, but you have to understand what we're dealing with here, okay?"

"I know," he grunted, facing away from her.

"Good night then. I'll see if I can get permission to take you out tomorrow." Ryuu didn't turn around until he heard the door slam shut, and then the little clicking noise that meant the door was locked. His eyes widened as he noticed what was on the bedside nightstand. _Did she leave this here on purpose? Or was it by accident? Doesn't matter, I can still use it either way!_

On the table was Jodie's cell phone.

*And now the all-so-important review replies! XD

**Sayomi178: Yup... I type my newest story just about completely on the iTouch. It's... easier that way for me. But this chapter was typed up on the computer because I couldn't find that late night inspiration. The next few chapters of MSK have already been plotted out. ;) Hope you liked this!**

**Ayumi Kudou: Ah yes... That old drawing. I liked those stories, but they weren't that amazing compared to others I've read. It was an interesting shift between that and nice and happy stories though. :) I don't think I'll do a kidnap fic. I've got too much on my hands already. And don't expect a shrunken Kazuha or a shrunken Aoko fic from me... Kazuha just annoys me to death, and I prefer HakuKai to KaiAo, making Aoko annoying to me. But don't worry... I'll try not to let those prejudices interfere with this story. Thanks for taking the time to review!**

**Chelseaj500: Not so brand-new two months later... Updated... not-so-soon, but updated nonetheless! Thanks for the review, Chelsea! ;D**

**starlightdreams.153: Everyone wants to know what happened to Shinichi... ... ... He's not appearing much at all, but none of our 'team' appeared this chapter, so forgive Shinichi (AKA ****_Me_****) for not appearing. Thanks for the encouragement! (one of the guilt factors. XD)**

**YeahRight18: I gave up with the first person POVs... They're too difficult. :P Third person is easier for me to write, and it's easier to go out of control with descriptions! XD He'll appear soon... Once everyone else does.**

**Amaranta-chan: Your review basically forced me to sit down at the computer for three hours and type this chapter. I felt so guilty reading it! So I blame/thank you for that review... XD I loved your encouragement.. I read it periodically to keep telling myself I could do it. Thank you so much for that kind review! I can't thank you enough!**

And now you're probably wondering about the update schedule. I'll try to do every two weeks or so, same with BWAD, because I started a new Harry Potter fic that'll be updated weekly. It's DraMione (DracoXHermione) and if you have any interest in that couple, please read 'Escape'! I'd really appreciate it! And as a side note, AN's are annoying to type when you have adorable Conan shimeji crawling all over your screen... Please review! Guilt is what prompts me to write! XD*


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